MISSION:Egypt
by Samantha-LeFay
Summary: Mission: offer services to new crime lord. Get to the top of the org. Gain trust. Learn weakness. Get out. Problem: bitchy princess out for his blood. What's our next 007 to do? R&R! Alex Rider belongs to Anthony Horowitz.
1. Alex Rider

A/N: don't own nothing...

CHAPTER 1: Alex Rider

"RIDER!" the PE teacher barked.

Alex's head shot up from talking to Tom, but only to glare at his teacher. He was the only one who would ever dare do something like that, and for it he got weird looks from his classmates. But he didn't care. He was sick and tired of his PE teacher. Mr. Brown was a retired army officer and, as such, treated his students with a disgustingly great amount of discipline. Not to mention he always picked on Alex since he was said to be 'sickly', although Mr. Brown could see right through that lie. And Alex just didn't have the patience to deal with it.

Now 17, going on 18, and after nearly 4 years working for MI6, he was an official member of the agency. Alex had changed from reluctant teenage spy to the next 007, in all senses. Because Scorpia was still after him, for his 16th birthday, MI6 had agreed to allow him a gun, and his accuracy was as lethal as ever. His brown eyes could melt any woman's heart and his body would make any Olympic athlete green with envy. So, of course, all the boys that shared his P.E. class wanted to murder him in his sleep. Alex was well aware of this and laughed at the thought of schoolboys succeeding at killing him when even Scorpia still wasn't able to. As Smithers had said on more than one occasion, Alex had more lives than a cat.

People still thought him weird, but he had mastered such control over his emotions that it didn't affect him in the least. Nor did he pay any attention to all the girls swooning over him in the hallways. He still gave his 'illness' excuse whenever he missed school but when he came back he was so fit and alert that no one believed him anymore. Even then, nobody asked him anything. As the mysterious guy and 'secret' heartthrob at Brookland, all the students respected him, for he showed a maturity and a calm and serious exterior that didn't quite go with his age.

Unfortunately for Alex, that was only the students. As the excellent pupil he was, when he was at school that is, teachers expected him to exceed in all their classes. And Mr. Brown was the worst, even though PE was something Alex was always good at.

"Let's see if you can beat your own record on the ropes!" yelled Mr. Brown.

Alex didn't dignify that with an answer but walked towards the ropes with a confident walk that had become a bit of a trademark with him.

He grabbed the rope and started climbing. The speed with which he was going up awed even his teacher. Once at the top he touched the gym ceiling while the girls at the other side of the gym gapped at him.

But before he could start going down the gym doors flew open. Alex reacted immediately. Twisting on the ropes in a style Yassen Gregorovich would have been proud of, and with most of the girls behind him screaming at his manoeuvre he placed a hand over the gun holster on the small of his back looking at the doors upside-down. He had been right. A bullet had just made contact with the ceiling causing yet more screams. Had he stayed upright, it would have pierced his heart. Thanking his reflexes, he made his way down the rope at an even more amazing speed than before and touching the ground mere seconds later.

The shooting had caused uproar amongst the students in the gym and they were panicking, all over the place, not one of them noticing that the shooter was aiming only at Alex with a frightening accuracy. This guy was good, no doubt about it. But, unfortunately for the stranger, Alex was better.

Alex grabbed one of the thick mattresses which were used as protection, laying under the ropes and covered himself up with it. Heaving it up, he started zigzagging towards the attacker. Scorpia had put a price on his head after failing to catch him themselves at least 6 times already. So now there were bounty hunters showing up every once in a while. And he was getting bored of this fact. The few last ones, present one included apparently, were all amateurs, and quite easy to take out. But they broke through his cover and, in an attempt of keeping it, he couldn't just start shooting back. If this was already making his classmates suspicious, his firing a gun he pulled out of his back would be a dead give away. So his only chance was to get close enough to disarm the assassin and knock him unconscious.

To Alex's amusement the guy let his guard down at seeing him so close. Alex saw his mistake and took his chance. He kicked the gun out of the assassin's hand whose only reaction was to yell in surprise. 'Amateurs indeed', Alex thought. The hunter finally reacted and fought back, but Alex wasn't there to take the blow. He was behind his attacker and with a karate chop Alex sent his attacker all the way to the numb world of unconsciousness.

Once the danger had been taken care of Alex turned around to asses the damages the assassin had inflicted upon the poor gym. It wasn't as bad as he expected: there were a couple of basketballs fizzing around having been caught by some of the bullets and the mattress he had used as protection looked more like a tea strainer than anything else. There were a few holes on the wall right behind him and a lonely one on the ceiling.

To say Alex was pissed was an understatement. He was mad that these bloody criminals had come to his school. This wasn't his sanctuary of normalcy anymore. He was well aware of that. But there were kids here living perfectly normal lives. And Scorpia and whoever else they hired had no right to disturb those lives.

His classmates were fortunately unharmed but he hadn't expected any of them to get shot, unless they had been stupid enough to run in front of him. But they were scared, some looking rather pale. He thought he even saw a couple of girls, who had apparently fainted, recovering. He was just about to go over to them to check them more thoroughly when the gym doors burst open yet again.

Alex twirled around, for he hadn't expected another assassin though, angry as he was, he was more than willing to take that anger out on another one of those goons. But it was just backup. Some SAS troops had come in to help, responding to the signal he had sent before. But now their only job was to take the scorpion into custody.

He waved discreetly to some of his acquaintances before turning to his fellow students who had already started panicking again. He managed to calm them down and some of the most 'courageous' girls were starting to go to him for 'support and consolation' when one of the soldiers tapped him on the shoulder. He was one of his acquaintances from the SAS and was holding back the laughter at the girls' reactions. Alex glared at him and the soldier remembered the situation. He said in a formal manner something about needing to talk to Alex, as part of the 'investigation'. Alex understood the message and followed quietly. As he was going out he saw his PE teacher looking at him with a mixed of admiration and fear. He would surely not be bothering Alex any time soon.

Once outside, Alex saw Mrs. Jones waiting for him. And he couldn't hold his anger in anymore.

"What the HELL are they doing coming to my school!" he let out in a screamed whisper. "Who the HELL do they think they are, messing with MY friends, MY classmates?! Oh but just let them come back. They will never know what hit them!" Mrs. Jones smiled understandingly. She knew the young spy well and knew that he meant what he had just said.

"Don't worry Alex. We will make sure they never come this close to Brookland again. But well done. Now, Mr. Blunt would appreciate it if you could come around the office this afternoon. He has something he wants to talk to you about. We were going to call you or Jack to tell you but since this situation showed up... though I think you should still call Jack."

"I wonder what he could want?" was Alex's sarcastic remark, his temper cooling slightly. "But yes, I suppose calling Jack and warning her isn't a bad idea. Though I wish you could do it every once in a while. I'm tired of her screaming at me when, at least technically, it's your fault." Mrs. Jones smiled and turned to go back to her car. Alex immediately took out his phone and called Jack.

"Hey Jack? I'm going to be a little late this afternoon."

"What?! Why?! Alex what happened? Shouldn't you be in class right now? If this has anything to do with that idiot of a boss of yours..." Jack left her threat in hanging and Alex chuckled at her protectiveness. No matter how many missions he went on, or how many bad guys he took down: she would always try to take care of him.

"Well there was a bit of an attack moments ago and …" Alex hadn't even finished the sentence when he heard the phone being dropped and sighed. _'3, 2, 1...'_ he thought. And sure enough...

"THERE WAS WHAT?!?!" Alex's arm reacted out of instinct holding the phone as far away from his ear as possible. Once the screaming was over he put it back close to it.

"Jack, don't worry, it was nothing and no one got hurt… well except the attacker. Blunt just wants a few words; though I'm quite sure it's another mission. But don't worry; I'll be back by dinner."

"Oh hell no, Alex, not another one! You're 17! All you should be worrying about is girls and homework. Sometimes not even homework!" Alex sighed, _'Here we go again...'_

"Jack, we've been through this many times already. I can't quit this. You and I both know it runs deep in my veins. I've even grown to like it! Besides, it has its ups!"

"Like what, the chance to get killed? When are you going to realise that this is going to be the end of you one of these days?!"

"Never Jack, 'cause the thrill of it is part of the fun! In a twisted sort of way I'll admit."

"Part of the fun?! Are you crazy, what kind of fun can you draw out of dodging frigging bullets?!"

"Jack..." Alex said sternly. He had to get back to class. The MI6 were leaving already.

Those closest to him could hear the whole thing and were already snorting with laughter. He was used to it since Jack had called while he was in a debriefing or something and the room normally exploded with laughter afterwards. He didn't mind. But he was getting familiar acknowledgements because of it. He couldn't afford some of his classmates, who were sneaking out of the gym to try to get a glimpse of what was going on outside, to see that.

"Jack I have to go. I need to get back to class." She finally understood that there was no fighting him and gave up. For now.

"Ok, make sure you're back by 7!"

"Will do. What are you making for dinner?" he asked trying to divert her attention to something less lethal (though, with her, only slightly) than his job.

"How does macaronis with cheese sound to you?" she asked back, taking the bait. He smiled. Trust Jack to go for the easiest-to-make dinner available in the market. He chuckled.

"Sounds perfect Jack. I'll see you later. Try not to burn the macaronis this time though." He teased.

"No fair! That was just because of another one of your stupid missions!" Alex laughed.

"Whatever. I got to go. Bye Jack." Alex hung up the phone still chuckling and was immediately stormed by the few people that were in good enough conditions to walk and talk coherently after the attack. Surprisingly (or not) some girls were in this group.

"Alex that was so brave of you! How did you managed to catch that guy?" one of said girls asked, batting her eyelashes unashamedly. The others also started appraising his courage and all the guys started asking how he hadn't fallen off those ropes. They were all starting to become suspicious seeing as this wasn't the first such occurrence around Alex Rider in the school's record. But their jealousy at his success against assassins and with girls blinded them temporarily.

But all Alex could think about was how long, tedious and absolutely draining this day would be trying to cover up all the actions he took for granted during times of danger.


	2. The Mission

A/N: I know! And I'm sorry! I should've updated a lot sooner but it's been a hectic time over here. Anyway, behold chapter 2 (LOL)!

CHAPTER 2: The Mission

The end-of-the-day bell rang throughout the school and teenagers started flowing out of the classrooms. Every single person in the building rushed towards the parking where Alex Rider was sure to be. They all wanted to at least get a glimpse at him and get some sort of proof that he had fought that assassin as his classmates said.

Alex walked to the parking lot towards his Mustang having already calmed down after the attack. He didn't want his classmates having to go through this again. At the same time, he was wondering what he'd have to say this time to get off the spotlight. He knew people were starting to wonder what exactly he was involved in to get so much attention from "crazy men with guns".

And still what Alex was most worried about is that at some point, these bloody criminals would realise that Alex would do anything to avoid his classmates suffering because of him. Because as much of a pain in the ass as they were sometimes, they were the people with whom he had shared the normal years of his life. Alex would always remember that.

With these crazy young men and women he had spent the greater part of his life, and even after MI6 had come recruiting, they had welcomed him back. He didn't miss that life. No, he wouldn't change his life for anything. The thrill of every mission was like a breath of fresh air for him. But he remembered his MI6-free years with affection.

The only times when he would regret anything would be these, when he had shown off a bit and had to deal with the consequences. Like those new bullies a year ago. Sure they had deserved the kick in the ass they got, but Alex should've known better than to let his anger rule. All he could say in his defence, was that the last mission had been an annoying one.

And the only thing he regretted was not having the power of wiping off his classmates' minds. And not just to protect his secret, as in protecting himself from his friends' scrutiny. But because, realistically, all those who knew about who Alex was, were in danger.

Then Tom caught up with him.

"So that's a real life version of you saving the world huh?" he said. Alex smirked

"Were exactly did you see the animated version?"

"Oh come on! You know what I mean!"

"Do I? But I guess you could try to imagining what happened at the gym in a bigger scale and you would have a very accurate picture." Alex got out his car keys while Tom carried on.

"How big a scale?" Tom asked in a curious yet doubtful voice.

"Say... Well depending on the actual mission it could be just 10 instead of 1 or me trying to get away from a small army. I'm good and more than a bit reckless, but I'm not stupid. Not to mention, if I'd had my way, you and the rest of our class never would've seen me 'saving the world'."

Tom just stared at him then noticed the secret sigh in his voice. This was one of the few tell-tale signs in Alex. This particular one was an uncommon one: regret.

"Regretting anything?" Tom said. He had signed the Official Secrets Act (O.S.A) 2 years ago and revealed in been able to have clearance to Alex's 'very cool' life (Tom's words, not Alex's). Besides, he knew Alex like the back of his hand.

"Just not being able to make them forget what little they see." Alex replied sighing for real. They both chuckled.

"It's the price to pay!" Tom said. At that moment, one of the braver girls in their year, walked up to Alex.

"Hi Alex." He kept his face pleasantly neutral even if he was slightly weirded out.

"Hello Ashley." he said. Tom was being completely ignored but he didn't mind. He was fine laughing his ass off at his friend's struggles.

"What you did back in the gym was soooo brave!" she sighed. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, I suppose." Alex replied, ever the gentleman.

Inside he was very grateful that his classmates were so utterly oblivious to the fact that the threat had been posed only to Alex himself. Unfortunately Ashley's "gratitude" went much further than a mere 'thank you'.

"You deserve a treat after such heroic behaviour." She said hinting heavily to a sort of _"treat"_ that Alex wasn't particularly interested in.

"Thank you Ashley but, at this moment, the only sort of _treat_ I want is a warm bed and a good night's sleep." Fortunately at this point in the conversation Ashley's boyfriend decided to show up. He was your typical rugby player: broad chest, big arms, and small brains. But even he knew when his girlfriend was out of line. Though not because of this did he blame the right person.

"Oi! Rider! Get the hell away from my girl!" Alex sighed, unnoticeably, with relief.

"More than happy to, Mike. More than happy to." And with that, he and Tom ducked away from the rest of their class and towards Alex's Mustang. Alex loved his car. MI6 had given it to him as a present for his 17th birthday. And he adored it.

Gone were the times when Alex had hated Blunt and Jones' guts. He had now realised that spying was in his blood and he had to admit he liked it.

"Tom I've got to go, Jones told me that Blunt wanted to talk about something..."

"And what could that be?" asked Tom with mock innocence "Don't forget about tomorrow!" He added.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it!" Alex said, and with that he drove of. Twenty minutes later and after crossing half the city at rush hour he pulled up at the Royal & General. He now quite liked the place. He felt at ease there, even though, a few years back, the mere thought of the building would have disgusted him.

As he went in he waved at the receptionist and received a smile in return. He greeted some other agents as they passed and got a few congratulations for his last assignment. He took the lift to the 16th floor and strolled casually down the corridor.

He reached the main office and was about to open the door when he saw that Blunt and Jones were not alone. What was worst was that they were with the Prime Minister. Who didn't know about Alex. Thinking quickly he kept a respectful distance from the door and waited. Deciding to improvise seeing as they were already, and luckily, coming out, he stepped forth.

"Hello Uncle Alan!" he said cheerfully. "Hello Mrs. Jones, how are you today? Good afternoon, Prime Minister, I'm sorry if I interrupted."

The only one who wasn't at least slightly freaked out by this was the Prime Minister, who, fortunately, took the bait. Jones and Blunt finally caught on and played their parts.

"Hello Alex." Alan Blunt suddenly turned into the most loving uncle ever. Alex managed to keep his face straight but Mrs Jones, who was conveniently standing behind the Prime Minister, nearly gagged at the thought of Alan Blunt being a loving person. But the Prime Minister just smiled at the respectful young man in front of him.

"Good afternoon to you too ... Alex am I right?" Alex nodded fervently and he continued. "Don't worry, you didn't interrupt us, we had already finished. I'll leave you to your uncle now. It's always good to see so united a family." And with this parting phrase he said his goodbyes and left.

As soon as the elevator doors clinked shut Alex doubled over in laughter. Mrs. Jones chuckled recovering but with a look of slight puzzlement on her face. Blunt's face remained rather unreadable but he had a look of amusement under his stoic attitude.

"How comforting to have such smart people in charge of our country, isn't it?" he said. This only made Alex laugh even harder. Then stop.

"Alan, did you just joke?" Alex smirked

"I merely stated the obvious. But now that he is gone I think we should move on to more pressing matters." he said as they all seated into Blunt's office.

"As you wish, _Uncle Alan._" Alex said still chuckling. Mrs. Jones managed to stifle a giggle but Blunt didn't look particularly pleased. And yet, he carried on.

"Now, I would like to discuss first the attack on your school this morning." Alex nodded.

"They are becoming more and more desperate. To put a price on my head, and keeping it up this long risks admitting to their inability to catch me regardless of all the chances they've had. It risks discrediting their reputation of "top crime lords"." Alex said. It was Blunt's turn to nod.

"True. Which is why we are worried." Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Not necessarily for you but for your classmates. They have seen too much. I supposed they are becoming suspicious." Alex sighed.

"Yes, they are. Boys more than girls for... well..." Alex looked slightly uncomfortable shook it off and continued. "For hormonal reasons but it's only a matter of time before they all start asking questions. They know my skills are not common. The hardest exercises in P.E. are a walk in the park for me. Mental calculations in maths and physics are terribly easy even if I haven't been to those classes. Chemistry is awfully simple. I know everything in the geography syllabus from personal experience, I know war history like the back of my hand and my language skills are way above average. So yes, they notice." Jones and Blunt looked at each other.

Jones looked very proud of Alex. He was amazingly smart and ever eager to learn. She knew that it was bad news that his classmates were noticing his extensive knowledge of the world. But she was proud of how much he knew and continued to learn. And despite how much effort went into denying it, so was Blunt.

"We will have a rescue team at the ready until the threat has blown away, or until you graduate. Which ever comes first." Alex smiled. He was quite sure that his graduation would come first.

"Also, we have a new assignment for you, which, luckily, is abroad so you will lay low for some time."

"Alright, but I would like to ask you for extra protection for my friends. Tom in particular. He's in on everything about me. Granted at his own risk, but he's not aware of how big a risk that is." Blunt and Jones nodded and Alex felt a bit more relieved. He was always worrying about Tom.

"So... what's the mission this time?" Alex asked.

"There is a new terrorist organisation which is now Scorpia's rival." Blunt answered.

"Joy" was Alex's only, sarcastic response.

"It goes by the name of W-Storm, and its leader is Lord Maximilian Worthington, a multi-billionaire businessman. And the problem is that Scorpia is out to destroy them."

"And that's a problem because...?"

"Because, Alex, W-Storm has recently acquired nuclear weapons." Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Ok, now THAT is a problem."

"Exactly, we need to find a weakness in Lord Worthington, in order to bring him down".

"What about Scorpia? I doubt they'll be glad WE dealed with W-Storm. So why not let them destroy each other and be rid of them?"

"Because they would hardly do so quietly". Mrs. Jones answered. She opened her mouth to name the atrocities such an event, as a clash between two major terrorist organisations, could cause but was cut short by Mr. Blunt.

"That's why YOU will be taking care of W-Storm, and WE will take care of Scorpia."

"Ok, I like the change, but how am I supposed to get into W-Storm? And why is it called W-Storm?" Alex asked, frowning in confusion at the rather ridiculous name.

"One of the many businesses of Lord Worthington is a hydroelectric called W-Power, it can be taken as Worthington-Power or as Water-Power, we think that's why the W, and as to the Storm part, well a storm is always a problem." Answered Blunt with a look of slight puzzlement. A face that always managed to make Alex laugh. "And as for how to get in, well the same way you got into Scorpia."

"Come on Alan, do you really think W-Storm is going to be thick enough to take me in after Scorpia? Not to mention that probably all crime organisations around the world know I work for you guys!"

"That's why we've modified your file to make it seem as if you have quit Scorpia..." Blunt answered.

"I'm telling you now, they won't buy it. It's not like Scorpia is the sort of job to which you can present a resignation letter and leave the office unharmed, let alone alive."

"...and MI6 after all the suffering and torture we put you through." Blunt finished as though Alex had never interrupted him. Alex looked at Blunt with a smirk on his face.

"Well that won't be too difficult to pretend now will it?" he answered with his usual sarcasm. Mrs. Jones smiled and Alex could see the start of a smirk on Alan Blunt's usually expressionless face.

"Exactly our point" he answered Alex. "Here's the file by the way." Alex took it and looked through it, noticing it was quite a thin file for such a big scale mission.

"This file doesn't tell me much, there's nothing on family or any special connection Worthington might be worried about..."Alex asked opening the file and eyeing its contents.

"Yes Alex, you're right. And that's because we have near nothing on that sort of information on Lord Worthington. He's always been a very reserved man."

"Smart guy. So I'll have to figure all that on my own once I'm there?" Alex said with a look of interest on his face. He wasn't one to back on a challenge of this kind. Not anymore.

"Exactly Alex, that's part of your job. The other part is to become one of his top operatives so that you'll gain as much trust as you can. Once that is done I'm sure you'll have all the inside information you might need" said Mrs. Jones. Then Blunt took over.

"All we know is that his ... well HQ's are located on the northern coast of Egypt, close to Alexandria to be precise. There is a secluded and nearly uninhabited area to the east of the Eastern Harbour (1). It's quite large and some of our satellites have taken blurry pictures of what seems to be a huge mansion. That's were you'll be going." Mrs. Jones continued here.

"Alex as soon as you set foot on Alexandria you'll be on your own. Don't try contacting us until you've gained lord Worthington's trust. We trust any decision you have to make to keep your cover. This is not the type of mission where keeping a low profile will help. Try exceeding at any task you're given and use your abilities to their fullest. An SAS helicopter will be taking you to the outskirts of the city tomorrow night." Blunt retook on from there.

"That's all now Alex. Smithers ought to be expecting you to give you all you will need for the mission. And don't worry. All the items you're to be given will be reported to international security as stolen."

"Good luck and be careful" said Mrs. Jones. This was her usual good bye phrase; she had always had a soft spot for Alex. And so Alex stood up and went to the door. But when his hand touched the doorknob he turned around and looked at Blunt.

"Who will be piloting the helicopter?" Blunt merely looked at him.

"Some friends of yours volunteered." Alex smirked and went out the door. 'K-unit' he thought with a grin. Oh well, at least he wouldn't be bored on the flight to Alexandria.

**A/N: **

(1): Mind you I obviously made that one up!

R&R!!


	3. The Gadgets

CHAPTER 3: The Gadgets

"Alex m'boy!" boomed Smithers' voice as Alex entered his office. "How are you old chap?"

"Fine, thanks, Smithers."

"Heard about the attack on your school this morning. Everything alright?" Alex smiled. Smithers had always worried about him.

"Yes Smithers, everything went fine. He started shooting on sight but he was easy to take down. I'm just still a bit pissed that they dared involve my classmates this time. ", Alex added voicing his thoughts from earlier this morning. Smithers nodded understandingly.

"Knew you'd be alright. Well Al, what can I tell you? It's all part of the job. You just have to be ready. And you always are, so I trust everything will keep running smoothly enough. And now... to business." He stood up and brought a big duffel bag. "Now Alex, as you may have noticed this could pass for a normal sports bag. It has a hard floor not very different from the ones you see in stores. But it is made of a very resisting material, can be tracked from these HQ's (and nowhere else, don't worry), and it contains all the things you will be taking to Egypt." Alex stared at the bag with interest waiting for Smithers to continue.

"It has all the clothes you may need for this mission as well as any other amenities, such as toothbrush, soap, normal stuff."

"You've already packed for me?" Alex said, mockingly moved. "I'm touched Smithers. Anything good in there?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, essentials mainly: there are three of your usual SAS uniforms," Smithers showed Alex a pair of combat boots, 3 black Ts and 3 military cargos. "A few pairs of jeans and T-shirts, tennis shoes and a nice white suit (1)." Alex raised an eyebrow at this. "Just in case, you never know what could happen..." pleased with the answer, Alex chuckled. Smithers smiled and continued.

"Well, onto the usual now." Smithers said but the look on his face told Alex that they were now going to talk about the exciting stuff. "You've got the whole floor of the bag covered in magazines for your modified Walter (2) and, of course the corresponding cleaning kit. Then there's the usual de-bugging, conversation listening iPod, but you already know how that works." Alex nodded. "The only difference is that this one has more memory which, for you, means more music available." Alex chuckled again. Smithers was always amusing him.

"Your usual acidic zit cream. Proved handy on many occasions. And in this sort of missions one can never be too careful."

Next up was a laptop, and Alex risked a guess.

"Direct connection to HQ's?"

"Exactly, only this time with an untraceable Wi-Fi, its IP changes every 60 seconds, and all other functions a normal laptop has. Just click the link for yahoo mail and you'll open a direct connection to Blunt's very office.

"What if he's not there?"

"Well, he's always there but if not, it's also linked to his and Jones' phone. Just in case."

Alex nodded and Smithers carried on with the explanation.

"We'll be able to send you any knew info into this laptop."

Next thing Alex saw were a pair of sunglasses.

"These are quite special m'boy. They come with an ID programme, it records the people you see then," he held out to Alex a USB cable, "with this you connect it to your laptop and it will download all the people you've seen. That way you'll be able to choose and even upload into the glasses specific information you may need. Just like any USB memory."

Alex wait and, sure enough, another feature of the glasses came up, "Alex you have to be sensible while using these." Alex started to wonder what it was in those glasses that needed extra precaution. When Smithers spoke again, he answered Alex's unasked question. "They have X-Ray vision."(3) Alex's eyes widened.

"You mean I can see through or underneath walls…"

"And through people's clothes." said Smithers giving half a frown and half a smirk. Alex then realised what Smithers meant, what sort of 'responsibility' it implied and rolled his eyes. Smithers must have seen the look of dawning comprehension because he said, "These will come in handy if you want to identify the guards, to see if they're armed, your way around the place, etc. I know you'll give them good use, it was Blunt's idea that I should give you a warning."

"Figures. But I doubt you'd find any female operatives in a male terrorist HQs. Normally if the aren't any women at the top of their food chain, then there are none around at all. Most crime lords are too chauvinistic for that. To Alan's credit, this proves he's not. That and keeping Jones for as long as he has." Alex replied. Smithers nodded.

"That is very true. Ok, with that sorted out we can carry on." said Smithers. He then moved over to one of his work tables.

"Now, next up is this nice pen, with your name on it and all. To say that it was a family present is always an excellent excuse. It works as a pen alright, but the back part is a grappling hook capable of carrying up to 500 kg. Nice and handy. Now next up..." He said pulling out a ruby ring, "Twist the stone twice to the left and you'll hear a click, then press it and a distress signal will be sent to these HQ's and a nearby base to pull you out."

Smithers stretched his arm to one of the shelves behind him and grabbed a small box.

"This is a particularly nice gadget, my boy." He said as he opened the box and showed Alex the contents. Inside laid a handsome Rolex. Alex stared, then turned to a smiling Smithers.

"Pretty isn't it?" he asked. Then without waiting for an answer he continued. "Now the button here on the left is nothing less than a powerful laser. It'll cut through metal in seconds. Then, on the bottom left is a touch screen mode." He pressed the button and Alex saw the watch's screen change, suddenly showing a triangle made of 3 modes.

"From there you'll be able to operate all the other special features such as: a GPS link on the bottom left which will show you your position on the region of your choice or in regards to a certain country. Satellite communications to HQs in case the laptop isn't available, that's with this button on the bottom right." he said giving Alex a small bag bursting with what seemed to be watch-sized batteries.

"And finally, this button on the top allows you to detonate any of these small charges. Now you can see they're all in groups of 5. Each group is isolated. But when you grab some of these batteries, separate them, place them and press the button, they'll go off. Very effective system to not get caught but it is a bit of a nuisance to have to separate each of these in order for them to work." Alex smiled, thoroughly impressed.

"Well, Smithers, I have to say, you really outdid yourself this time." Smithers smirked mysteriously at this.

"We're not done yet..."

At this point Smithers then pulled away from the desk and guided Alex to a hangar on the lower floors.

"It would be too conspicuous to take a car, but we can't leave you to walk in the dessert with a heavy bag just like that, now can we?" Alex smirked, liking the sound of it.

"So what exactly are you going to give me?" Smithers smiled.

"Call it a very late birthday present." They had reached the hangar and Alex was wondering what present it could be. MI6 had given him his Mustang for his 17th birthday half a year ago. "I hope you like it." Smithers smirked. "It's got some… special features that might come in handy." And he uncovered a bulk at the back of the hangar.

Had Alex been a cartoon his jaw would've literally hit the floor. There, in all its glory and seemingly under a spotlight, was a shimmering Harley Davidson bike. Alex was so amazed that he stopped walking. Smithers smiled, having received the expected reaction. Then, Alex turned to Smithers.

"And I can keep it?!" Smithers nodded smiling.

"Yes! Well come on! I'm sure you want to try it!"

With this Alex snapped out of it and ran to catch up with him, who was already by the bike. Up close, it was even more stunning. Alex had adored this bike ever since he had seen it in display at a store. But to have it was even better. Smithers smiled gleefully at Alex and waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention. Alex turned his head to Smithers and started listening.

"There are a few modifications: for one thing it has a GPS device and is also traceable from here. As a bonus there are machine guns at the sides, hence the double cover. Also it has an extra boost of speed in the handle as well as a general modification to the whole structure to withstand jumps from high and long distances."

"How high and how long?"

"Say a plane flying above the ground at 20 m. approximately."

"Not that I could withstand that fall." Alex said, laughing.

"Oh, you get the picture old chap. Well that's it for gadgets for this mission. So… would you like to take a few turns about the room on it?" Alex stared at Smithers and exclaimed:

"Oh, Hell Yeah!" Smithers laughed and handed him the keys.

Alex mounted the bike and hit the ignition. The soft purr of the engines made him smile. Then, he hit the gas. The bike shot off through the hangar and only his reflexes allowed him to swerve past a few empty crate that were stored down there. The speed was amazing, the balance, perfect. The slightest turn on the handle did the trick. It was awesome. After a few times of going around the hangar he took the bike back to Smithers testing the brakes. The stop was so abrupt Alex nearly flew off. Perfect.

"Well, how do you like it?"

"How do I like it?! I LOVE IT! Smithers I've wanted this bike since I first saw it!"

"Nailed it, didn't I?" Smithers smirked. "Now, I will be keeping these overnight, as you well know, to give them a last check and then they'll be all yours tomorrow night. So off you go. Get some sleep."

"Aye, aye sir!" Alex joked and turned towards the elevator that would take him back to the first floor. He had wanted to go on this mission since Jones and Blunt called him on. But now he couldn't wait to get started.

**A/N**

(1): for those of us Alex Pettyfer lovers here's a link to an actual pic of him in a white suit. I couldn't resist! (.com/imgres?imgurl=/Gallery/themes/water_&imgrefurl=/Gallery/&usg=__OYj3GbqrNEF6Fludx_CyZJXmMdM=&h=300&w=518&sz=89&hl=es&start=3&tbnid=hcBEsJ2Q_tOjMM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalex%2Bpettyfer%2Bburberry%26hl%3Des%26rls%3DTSHB,TSHB:2008-51,TSHB:es%26sa%3DN)

(2): The classical James Bond gun, for those who don't know is the Walter PPK. This one's been "modified" because the usual Walter only has 7 or 8 rounds in each magazine. This one has 16, like most guns nowadays.

(3): Cody Banks' were too cool to miss it here, LOL.

R&R!


	4. One Hell of a Party

CHAPTER 4: One Hell of a Party

The next morning Alex woke up and went down to breakfast with the clear intention of staying in all day to get some rest. He knew he was going to need it.

He knew it would be his last chance to get good rest for, during missions, his body didn't allow him a normal sleeping pattern. It felt more like when a computer went on sleep rather than shut down. His extreme awareness of danger during his missions was the cause of this. Sure, he wasn't afraid of dying and he wasn't afraid in general, but he really didn't think very highly of going down without a good fight and being killed in his sleep didn't fall into what he considered 'going down with a fight'.

So, before he ran out of opportunities, a good rest did sound appealing. Suddenly he heard Tom's voice again: _"Don't forget about tomorrow!"_

Then he remembered what day it was: Saturday 10th October, Tom's birthday. _'So much for getting a good rest.'_ Alex thought. Silently thanking God it was only 9 am, Alex got dressed, said goodbye to Jack, promising to be back by 3pm and set off for a store. He already knew what Tom wanted. He also knew that his parents would never dream of buying it for him for 2 simple reasons: 1. it was quite expensive and 2. They were of the idea that it 'damaged' a young person's mind. 'It' was, naturally, an I-phone.

Alex preferred his Pearl Flip Blackberry. Hands-free technology was, at times, a blessing. Not to mention Smithers had "messed" with it, scrambling the signal and allowing 24/7 satellite Wi-Fi. The I-phone's touch screen tech was pretty cool too, though. But Tom's parents would never even consider buying him such a present. They were a bit old-fashioned.

But Alex would. For exactly the opposite reasons. He had the money and didn't have Tom's parents' ideas of what was best for teenagers. Besides he was always telling Tom, at his request, all about his gadgets, some of which he kept. And even though Tom would hide it, he felt a longing for technology. Plus he was Alex's best friend. All of this was going through Alex's head on his way form the store to Tom's party in a bowling alley. The plan was to play for a while, have lunch and then maybe go catch a movie, the latter only with their closest group of friends. Tom had invited nearly all their year but the place could handle all 80 or 90 crazy teenagers. Once he arrived, he saw that most of the guests were already there. Tom's parents were nowhere to be seen. Apparently Tom had managed to get them to stay at home.

Tom and their friends had taken up all the lines, having rented the place for that morning. The rule was 10 players per line, but people were moving around greeting others, talking and running back to their respective games when their turn came up. Alex greeted quite a few of the party this way, with a quick 'hi and bye' as one could call it. He was just trying to be polite, but he seemed to be some sort of twisted girl-magnet. Twisted because he never asked for it and all he got was more attention. He finally spotted Tom playing and managed to extricate himself from the mass of girls around him.

Alex walked up to Tom to wish him happy birthday but Tom pulled him to the side and looked at him with a serious face.

"What's up?" Alex knew that he had the 'I'm-going-on-a-mission' look on his face, as Tom called it.

"I'm gonna have to leave early, sorry."

"Nah! That's fine. What shall I say this time?" Alex smiled: Tom always understood and covered for him when necessary. Sometimes Alex thought that Tom should get paid for all he did for his missions. The lengths he went to just to cover up for Alex...

"Just say I'm going abroad for some special treatment."

"And where are you really going?"

"Abroad." Tom stared.

"Come on. Seriously. Where are you going?"

"Abroad." Alex laughed at Tom's exasperated look.

"Alex, you of all people should know that it is a rather big world so to what part of _'abroad'_ are you going to this time?!"

"Egypt, but let's not talk about work right now." Alex said, still chuckling but relinquishing the information.

Feeling it would be weird to stay aside for so long he started to pull Tom back to the party.

"Ok then, I want to see my present!" Tom retaliated, not missing a beat. Alex laughed.

"Well, first here is your 'cover up' present," Alex said, handing Tom a U2 t-shirt. "As for your real present… happy birthday Tom!" Tom grabbed the package and was about to rip it open when Alex interrupted him.

"You might want to go to the bathroom to do that."

Tom looked at Alex suspiciously and did as told. About 10 seconds later Alex heard a distinct gasp coming from the bathroom. People were starting to notice his absence.

"TOM!" Alex said loudly, "Mate, come on and get out, it's your turn again!"

Suddenly it burst open and Tom came out with one of the widest grins Alex had ever seen. He could've even hugged Alex had Alex been the hugging kind.

"I take it you liked my present." Alex smirked. Tom nodded fervently and Alex let out a laugh. "Alright, now put it away and go enjoy the rest of your party."

"Yes sir!" Tom said, standing at mocking attention.

"Oh and do me a favour: I don't want your mother to hate me so why don't you say that you won it or something?" Tom nodded again, trying to wipe off his large grin, unsuccessfully.

Back at the line, they inserted Alex into the game and started playing again. What Alex liked about this game is that it was all about measuring yourself to get the throw correct. And there was something he was good at it was controlling himself. So to Tom's amusement, and the rest of his friends' awe, he was able to get easily to the top of the score. He was definitely having fun.

"Aw come on mate!" Jake said after Alex did a particularly fancy throw. "You've got to teach me how to do that one!"

"Alex, if I've got to give you credit for something, it is for knowing how to get girls!" Harry added.

Alex turned around bewildered and saw most of the girls were watching him play. As soon as he turned around, all the girls sighed and smiled. Tom and the others didn't know what to give in to: envy or laughter. They decided for laughter when they heard Alex's groan. He sure as hell didn't do it on purpose.

"This has got to be some sort of divine punishment for doing what I do..." Alex mumbled. Tom was the only one who was close enough to hear him and he had to hold his cackling in. The game went on, and Alex managed to give a pleading Tom most details about his up-coming mission.

The bowling went on for a while. Until, on their last game, the lights over their heads started to flicker and die out, one by one. Darkness falling over the building, some of the girls started screaming but right then the electricity kicked back on and the place continued to run smoothly. People calmed down and turned back to their games which had been fortunately saved. Tom, Jake, Ian, Harry, Ed, Jason, Ali, Dave, and Nick turned back to their line and went to grab a ball. But Alex was on edge. He didn't like it when such things happened around him for they were always a bad omen.

He gave his turn to Ed and went aside. Sure enough his phone started ringing immediately. The screen read "Royal & General". Pulling out his hands-free ear-piece, he picked up. He couldn't afford to have his hands occupied when he didn't know what the problem was.

"What's going on?" he asked straight away.

"Scorpions. Six of them. Get out. Now." It was Jones. Alex shook his head even if she couldn't see him.

"I'm not about to leave my friends like that. If I have to shoot back and break my cover to protect them then so be it. In any case it's about time they knew who it is they trust everyday. But Scorpia has gone too far this time. They can mess with my country, with my life, with my family even, but my friends are out of bounds. Those men are dead bugs." Jones sighed.

"Alex, we both know scorpions are classified as arachnids."

"Not funny Alan. I'm taking defensive action." He could hear Blunt sighing.

"Alex, your idea of a defence is a good offense." Alex smirked darkly.

"Isn't everybody's?" he could hear the heads discussing what to do.

So without hanging up, he ran back to his friends and made a beeline to Tom.

"We're in trouble." One look to Alex's face told Tom all he needed to know. This would be bad. And not for them.

"Alex who are you talking to?" came Jones' voice.

"You look... pissed." Tom said. Alex heard Jones sigh in recognition.

"This time Scorpia has crossed a line. And this time, I'll let them know." Alex answered, pulling out his Walter from his jacket inside pocket and releasing the safe. Tom stared at it and a mixture of fear and wonder.

"Alex we have not cleared you to take action." He ignored Blunt. Then, Tom suddenly snapped out of it.

"Did you say Scorpia? THE Scorpia?! The one that trains their assassins not to miss?" he mumbled in a high-pitched whisper. He didn't like being afraid, but the idea of scorpions swarming the place wasn't something he wanted.

"Yes. The very same assholes that trained ME not to miss. So now I'll get to show them how well they taught me. I'm sorry I ruined your party Tom." Alex added with a look of real regret on his face.

"Alex you can't shoot around civilians!"

"It's either me shooting _around_ civilians or the civilians getting shot _at_!" Tom winced at Alex's ominous tone, then thought about it.

"Do I get to see you kick some scorpion ass?" Tom asked. Alex nodded, not particularly pleased with Tom having to witness him in full agent mode. Normally when he narrated his mission, he censured them. He couldn't censure this. "Well in that case you have nothing to apologise for."

"Alex, please, you cannot shoot unless shot at."

At that moment they saw six grown men walking into the bowling alley. The scorpions were here.

"Too late. They're here. And besides, do you really think getting them to shoot at me will be a problem?"

Alex saw the semi-automatics before his classmates did, his eyes trained to see the glint of a gun. And there were six of those too. At least in sight. Then, his friends saw the guns as well and they screamed and ran for cover. The place was utter chaos until one of the scorpions shot a few rounds into the air. Silence fell on the alley.

"We want everyone to sit in their lines. We are only here for one of you. So cooperate." One of them said loudly. Then, the one who was clearly the leader of the team spoke.

"Are you hearing this?" Alex whispered to Blunt and Jones.

"Yes." It was Blunt who answered.

"Alex Rider."

"Present." Alex said loudly. So they wanted to play hostage. Well too bad for them: he knew that game too well.

"Hey, Alex, maybe it's not such a great idea to piss them off..." Tom trailed off and shut up at the look on Alex's face. Apparently, his friend was more pissed than any of those men could ever get to be. Suddenly, Tom felt safe again. He knew Alex was never going to let these idiots get away with messing with their friends.

"Alex, maybe you should listen to Tom..." said Jones.

"Maybe they should listen to Tom. But then again, I'm already beyond mad." He can hear them sighing over the phone.

"We have orders to bring you in dead or alive. And casualties are not of our concern as you well know. Scorpia doesn't care for extra corpses." These words were followed by murmurs in the crowd.

"Wrong thing to say..." Tom mumbled under his breath, in a sing-song voice. Alex's face showed the smallest smirk, a cool cover for the anger bubbling beneath the surface, nodding very slightly.

But the rest of Alex's friends couldn't understand why one of the most deadly crime organisations would want a teenager. They had seen the news reports of all the atrocities caused by Scorpia. And why so many of them? Six? These were professional assassins! One should be _more_ than enough...

As calmly as if he was answering a teacher's question, Alex stood up, calm, cold and apparently unfazed by his situation. He moved out of his line's booths and onto the corridor, directly in front of the terrorists.

"So, this is the great Alex Rider." Another one said. "You have given us enough trouble. Our bosses will be pleased. Now move."

Alex heard Blunt and Jones snorting in disbelief. He smirked. The idiocy of these soldiers, their threat to hurt his friends and their daring to burst into Tom's party triggered his not-so-latent spy mode. That _and_ he was pissed. The calm feeling before the battle washed over him, and his anger was replaced by the security of being able to kick their asses. The rush of adrenaline was refreshing, the familiar feeling, clearing his mind.

Alex's line was the last one down the alley's corridor. So everyone was able to see the look of tamed anger and the deadly, confident glint in Alex's eyes, making his friends wonder, no matter what Alex was, why those criminals thought he was going to come quietly.

"What makes you think I will follow?" Alex said in a cocky whisper that, in the grave silence of the room, was carried to everyone's ears. The scorpions looked at each other, startled. They never believed that he would be willing to blow his cover in front of his classmates.

"You don't want us to out you." The leader of the scorpions said confidently. Either this kid wasn't as smart as people gave him credit for being, or this mission was about to go very wrong.

"These men get stupider every year. 'You don't want us to out you'! They've already blown your cover sky high!" Blunt huffed slightly.

At this, Alex's smirk got wider. That was all the 'go' he needed.

"Haven't you already?" he asked sarcastically. In him the scorpions now recognised the agent so many crime lords feared. For safety they grabbed a couple of girls from one of the lines and touched the girls' temples with their guns.

"No, not yet." One of the assassins said.

"Alright, well in this case, take them down as you see fit. There is a rescue team on the way. Just... keep it down. So to speak." Blunt droned. Alex made a noise of recognition them focused entirely on the situation before him.

This was what Alex had feared for so long. And yet now, moments away from the truth coming out he felt... relieved. He didn't mind. The assassin turned to his classmates. "Allow us to introduce you to Alex Rider, the crowning jewel of the MI6." People around the place started staring at each other, some, wondering if this was the explanation for the mystery that was Alex Rider, others, thinking that these criminals were high on something. "Yes, your darling classmate is nothing less than the most priced spy of the British intelligence."

All around Alex, people laughed. Of all the rumours going around the school about Alex, this was by far the craziest.

"Yeah, sure, and I'm Sherlock Holmes!" cried Tyler, a kid on Alex's math class. The scorpions turned to Tyler with every intention of shooting him down. Alex realised that he couldn't stay put anymore. Besides, he needed something to vent all his anger on. And yet he couldn't risk hurting his friends.

He raised his hands, as if surrendering.

"Wait! I'll go with you. You want me. Leave them. Save your bullets. What use have you for stinking corpses if I'll come quietly? " Alex asked smartly.

People stared. This was Alex Rider. He wasn't a spy; he was a kid, like them. What was he playing at, going along with terrorists, pretending to be in control?! Actually, why the HELL did it seem this wasn't the first time he was in a situation like this one?!?!

"It's true, by the way." Alex commented in an off-handed manner, trying to contain the anger telling him to shoot all six fools down, with the gun in his pocket.

At this point, Alex began walking forwards, towards the scorpions. "Oh and, by the way, MI6 agents are on the way. You showed up on their radar so to speak, and called to give me a heads up. Turns out, once again, Scorpia's not as good as they thought."

In the background, Alex could hear soft snorts coming from his ear piece, his smirk firmly in place.

People gasped. Either Alex was very good, to be taunting assassins like that, or he was very stupid. And they knew Alex was anything BUT stupid.

Throughout this whole exchange the terrorists had gone into full alert knowing Alex to be as unpredictable as he was lethal. Alex noticed and let them. It would be easier for his friends (if they still considered him one) to see him fighting rather than shooting people down. The fighting they had already seen. The shooting... they didn't want to. Alex only hoped that he wouldn't eventually have to shoot. Not to mention they still had those 2 girls.

"Very well Mr. Rider. In that case, we have to hurry. We shall be out of here before your precious MI6 gets here to save you." The scorpion said with a nasty grin. Alex nodded slowly, as if admitting defeat. Then he stopped abruptly, a few feet away from the assassins. They gripped their guns firmly. Alex, yet again, raised his hands.

"No, no, I'll go. But you have to leave those girls out of this. They have nothing to do with it. They have nothing to do with me. They aren't your targets."

The group leader started taking aim at Alex himself.

"Listen, we can either take out the guns and see what happens, OR you can let go of those girls and we can end this peacefully enough."

Doubtfully, and in full alert, the scorpions looked at each other. Sure, they were more in numbers, but they had been warned against engaging Alex in battle. Deciding against stupid risks, they pushed the girls towards the rest of the students. The frightening girls were received with open arms, everybody trying to offer comfort, while keeping an eye on Alex. They were thanking whoever would listen for his ability to, so far, avoid more shooting.

Meanwhile, Alex arrived next to the scorpions. They immediately surrounded him, creating a circle around him. Alex smirked inwardly. They couldn't've chosen a worst formation.

Bursting into action, Alex knocked out his greatest threat: those behind him. His elbows crashing into the faces of those two assassins, he ducked from the blows coming from left and right, tackling the two in front of him. Rolling, he jumped back on his feet, leaving the two tackled, dazed scorpions on the ground, for later. The two from each side ran at him, over their fallen teammates, punching at the same time. Throwing himself backwards to avoid the hits, Alex grabbed both arms and crossed them, delivering swift kicks to their stomachs, winding them. He cross-punched them, on the temple, knocking them out. He turned to his left and saw one of the soldiers he had tackled coming at him. Alex twirled around the man and knocked him out with a chop to the back of the head. Again, Scorpia's training on pressure points came in handy. Then he turned, looking for the last man. He found him trying to grab his gun and heading towards Alex's classmates. Alex saw red. He ran towards his classmates, got between them and the scorpion and spin-kicked the idiot. Everyone heard the loud crack coming from the assassin's skull at the impact from Alex's foot. The man crumpled to the ground, a thin trail of blood coming from the side of his head. Alex took a steadying breath, and looked around. His classmates were staring at him with awe. Oh shit...

"Alex?" Alex blinked, then answered Jones.

"They are down, none dead. I didn't even shoot." He added bitterly. He needed to blow off some steam right now. Jones sighed in relief.

"Well done Alex. A medical team and a relief and rescue team are on their way, as I said. Though they should've already gotten there." She hadn't even finished the sentence when the doors burst open. Alex turned around pulling out his gun, ready to shoot. Ignoring the collective gasp, he stared at the new arrivals. But they were just the teams Jones had warned him about.

"They are here." He said and then he hung up. There were more pressing matters to attend to. Putting away his gun, he took a calm breath.

Immediately he proceeded to his friends. They were all cluttered at the back some relieved it was over, some even crying.

Firstly he checked on the two girls that had been taken hostage. Their names were Camilla and Lucy. They were strong girls. They had gone to karate classes with him for years. And he was sorry that they of all the girls in this effing world had had to go through this.

"Hey." He said. They looked at him, their eyes showing shock and the remnants of fear mixed with gratitude and forgiveness. Alex knew how frightened they must have been. Having been taken hostage himself on countless occasions, he knew it was not something he'd wish to anyone. Except maybe a few choice people. He smiled shyly at them and they were able to recognise the boy they had sparred with so many times in the eyes of the man crouching in front of them.

"Thanks Alex." Lucy said. Camilla nodded. "You really saved us back there."

"Yeah, you did." Cam said. "But, for the record, I don't care if you had jumped into a tank full of sharks to pull me out. You do that whole "take me, leave them" thingy again, Alex Rider, and I will kick you spy ass over to China, got it?!" she added, half joking, half serious. This time, it was Lucy who nodded.

Alex was so glad to hear them take it so lightly that he did something he rarely ever did: he pulled them both into a hug, much to the disappointment of their fellow females. The ladies hugged back, happy that it was over, grateful because he had pulled them all through.

"Oh and by the way." Lu said, breaking the hug. "Do you think you can teach us that spinning kick you did?"

"Oh! Yes please! It looked very cool!" Cam begged. "Although I doubt we'll be able to break anyone's skull on the first try." She teased. Alex laughed and told them that as soon as he had time, he would go to the gym where they practiced to help them with the kick. Then he moved again, waving goodbye.

That finished, he sat next to Tom, letting his fellow agents take control of the situation. Tom patted him on the back and smiled.

"That was one hell of a birthday present." He said. Alex smiled back.

"Thanks." Tom frowned. Alex sounded as if he was asking for forgiveness.

"What the hell for?"

"For not freaking out."

Dave, Nick, Ed, Ian, Jake, Jason, Ali, and Harry scooted over towards Alex at this.

"Don't worry mate. On any account, that was awesome! You were a machine! The whole 'chillaxed' attitude, the whole hostage-exchange thing and then a hiya! And they were down!" Ali said. They all laughed. Trust Ali to make Alex, in full spy mode, sound so funny.

They all started going on about how cool he had looked, how awesome the fight had been, and, of course, asking where the gun had come from. Shaking his head, Alex smiled at them with only one thing in mind: _"Boys..."_

One of the agents approached. Alex stood up. He wanted to know what would happen next.

"Alright Al, you gonna tell me you did all that by yourself?" he said with such subtle sarcasm that his friends didn't catch it and jump to Alex's defence, stating that yes, it had been he had taken them all down. The look of gratitude on Alex's face was one that revealed just how much their friendship meant to him. The agent just laughed.

"Relax boys. I've worked with Mr. Rider here and I know first hand he is quite something." Alex chuckled softly at this. Sure, his classmates were now safe, but that didn't mean that he was about to forget Scorpia's mistake that easily.

"You say it as if it was a bad thing. Remember how I saved your ass over on the Austrian border?" the agent smirked. All of his friends stared in wonder.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember. You're a piece of work Al. But don't worry. We have them in custody now. And they won't get away. Blunt himself told me to tell you. He's nearly as pissed off as you are."

"Who's Blunt?" during the conversation with the agent, the rest of his classmates had scooted over as well and were now very interested.

"The Head of Operations of MI6." Said a familiar grey voice. Blunt and Jones had arrived, her usual peppermint smell wafting around her, Blunt looking as grey and furious as Alex had ever seen him. Everyone stared in awe at Alex.

"So... does that mean... he _really_ is a spy?" one of the girls asked.

"Yes." Alex answered pulling out his badge and showing it to everyone. He nearly laughed at their faces and the situation as a whole would've been funny it their lives hadn't been at stake moments ago. Silently he thanked not having to go to school on Monday. He would have a lot of questions to answer... if he ever went back.

The minutes after the Heads' arrivals were spent telling his classmates what would happen next. Fortunately for Alex, the media knew nothing about what had happened here and the staff had already been given a special account. They had been knocked out cold during the attack so the only ones MI6 had to worry about were the teenagers.

They would all have to sign the Official Secrets Act, and they could not tell their parents. But as they had an afternoon planned out already, it would be suspicious if they didn't leave the bowling place soon. So after the signing, the promising, and the medical check on everyone, they were all free to go. They chose a quiet place to have lunch so they could talk. Everyone wanted to squeeze as much information as possible out of Alex.

"So, that's how it is all the time?"

"How many missions have you gone on?"

"Where have you gone on missions?"

"Did the MI6 give you that gun?"

"Have you ever been shot at?"

"Have you ever actually killed someone?"

Some of the smarter ones, who actually noticed stuff, asked things like:

"What did you do to piss Scorpia off so much?!"

"Tom already knew, didn't he?"

Alex eventually either couldn't or wouldn't keep up with the questions and came up with a brilliant idea. Counting on the fact that Blunt would never agree to any of this, he proceeded to make people listen. Or try to make them listen.

"Hey, guys..." but his voice was lost with the whole racket his fellow classmates were making inside the diner they were in. "GUYS!" he yelled. Everyone went quite. "This is Tom's day, so why don't we, for order's sake, do this: on Monday, you can all bring your questions written out, give them to me, and I, with permission from MI6, will bring the ones I can answer back to you in the following days. Does that sound good to everyone?" They all slowly nodded. It wasn't what they would want, but he was right: it _was_ Tom's birthday.

Slowly but surely, the questions died out and people just stuck to scribbling down questions in a piece of paper whenever they came up with one. From then on, the day's celebrations carried on fairly peacefully. They all laughed and chatted and did what normal teenagers normally do in these occasions: have a blast. Alex even made good use of his "adulthood" and asked for a few bottles of beer to make a toast at the end of the meal. He was more into wine and a few more refined cocktails but his friends loved it for some reason, especially Tom, so he bought the drinks. Though he, smartly, only bought enough for one round. He knew what beer and the remnants of adrenaline in the bloodstream could do to a young person. And it wasn't pretty.

"When do you have to leave?" Alex turned to Tom. Glancing at him watch, he answered.

"I told Jack I'd be back by 3. So in about an hour. Besides, I need to go the HQs." Tom looked confused.

"Why? I thought you left tonight." Alex nodded.

"Oh I leave tonight alright. But I need to blow off some steam before the mission or I'm going to shoot someone at the first rush of adrenaline I get." Alex said bitterly. Tom winced slightly. He knew full well, especially after today, how protective Alex was of his friends. He didn't want Alex feeling guilty though.

"That _was_ one hell of a kick back there, though. If that's not blowing off steam, I don't know what is!" Alex chuckled.

"On the contrary. That's lashing out. I should've controlled myself. But I just saw the effing coward running at you guys with a gun at the ready and I saw red. I guess now you know what I look like every time I loose it." Tom nodded.

"Oh, well, remind me never to piss you off." Alex laughed. He felt a little better. "And, uh, what's the mission about again?" Alex snorted. Leave it to Tom to try to get as much info as he could out of Alex.

"Infiltration." Tom stared. "Not Scorpia."

"OH!" he sighed. "Oh, okay. You know for a moment there I thought they had gone completely bonkers. I mean, they're fairly crazy, but that... yeah... not good." Alex smiled gratefully.

"Nah, don't worry. They're not crazy enough to think that Scorpia would take me in after all that's happened." Tom nodded, then he looked at his watch.

"It's 10 to 3. You better leave if you don't want to get yelled at by Jack. Again." He added with a smirk. Alex laughed, getting up.

"Oh you try having that woman as a house-keeper and going on save-the-world missions! Anyway, here's to cover my part." He said, giving Tom some money. "Bye, Tom, nice party." He added with his classic dose of sarcasm.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there." Alex turned to him, smirk back in its usual place.

"What?" Tom stared at him.

"You do realise their going to bugger the crap out of ME on Monday, seeing as you won't be there, right?"

Alex's smirk only got wider. Then he went out the door. Not one of his classmates saw him leave.

**A/N:** R&R!!!! Hope you like it. I don't know if I'm any good at writing action so... comments please...


	5. A Ride to Egypt

CHAPTER 5: A Ride to Egypt

As he had promised Jack, he left at a little before 3pm, got home, took a shower and threw himself, with the towel still around his hips, onto his bed to sleep a couple hours before going to the Royal & General. But he couldn't. The remains of adrenaline flowing through his veins still, the images of the attack were too vivid. It was amazing how much it had gotten to him. But, then again, his friends had been the ones on the line of fire this time. And Alex would make sure it was the last time too. But it wasn't enough. He needed to blow off some steam. He couldn't go on this mission, or any other for that matter, in such a state. He needed to pull himself together. And target practice suddenly sounded like an excellent idea.

So he threw on a pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt and his favourite black leather jacket. Then he grabbed his phone, badge and ID, keys to his car and wallet. And, of course, his Walter. '_Never leave home without it..._' Down-stairs he said goodbye to Jack and he was off.

At around 4 o'clock, he arrived at the Royal & General. Giving the receptionist a small smile, he headed straight for one of the lower levels. Below Smithers' lab, was the practice and testing area. Agents liked spending time there, sparring, target practicing or just hanging around. It was a bit of a bonding place. Ironic, but true.

"Hey, Al!" Alex turned around at the yell, facing one of his colleagues. It was one of the youngest agents. Which really meant he was in his mid twenties. Alex offered a slight smirk.

"Hey, J." Jason Stevens searched Alex's face. The kid was unreadable.

"How're you doing? Thought you had a mission coming up." Alex nodded.

"I do. I just wanted to do a little target practice before heading off." Jason brightened up. Everybody knew Alex could hit the bull's eye every time. Regardless of whether he was standing calmly or driving a speeding bike. He headed over with Alex towards the targets. A few people noticed. Then a few more looked up. Within a minute of Alex's arrival, each and every one of the agents down in the training basement was gathered around Alex.

By then, Alex didn't even bother with earmuffs. He just grabbed one of the practice guns. He picked up a simple automatic handgun. Then, he hit the start button on the line.

Round targets started zooming across. Relaxing into the mindset he had picked up at Scorpia, he loosened his hold on the gun and raised it. His shots rang through the floor, reverberating on every surface, living or inanimate. Alex felt the shots leaving his gun as if they were leaving his very arm. It was a powerful feeling. The targets were programmed to the amount of rounds in a certain gun. Once he ran out of blanks, the targets retreated and the score came up on the screens.

"Damn, sometimes I hate you. But these are the times when I remind myself never to piss you off." Jason said from behind Alex. He had hit every target, dead on. Some targets had even crossed, one behind the other, and Alex had hit the centre on both with a single bullet. Some, he had hit the centre twice, a single perfect hole through the bull's eye. Alex smirked.

"I doubt you ever could, J. I doubt you ever could." He already felt better. Maybe a sparring match would finish calming his nerves. "Any one up for a sparring match?" Unanimously, all the agents took a step back.

At 6 on the dot, he was walking to Blunt's office to see if there were any last minute updates. Since there were none, he then set off for Smithers' floor. He had kept Alex's gadgets overnight to make sure they were in perfect working conditions. They were already packed into his special bag.

Smithers wished him good luck and Alex left for the hangar where his brilliant bike was awaiting him. He gently touched the handle, ignited the bike and accelerated. The roar of the engine was powerful, the feel of the speed, breathtaking.

He had been given instructions to head straight for Brecon Beacons, a trip that would normally take at least 2 hours. However, that afternoon, with his natural confidence, the exhilaration of his new bike, and the assurance his MI6 badge gave him, he got there in a little over an hour.

When he got to the gates, he flashed the soldiers standing guard his ID and was immediately allowed in. After so many missions where the SAS had either burst in just in time to finish off the job or where Alex had helped them, the young agent had won over the respect of these tough soldiers. And whenever it was Alex who needed help, they didn't hesitate to heed the call.

Alex parked his bike next to the AW101 Merlin helicopter he would be flying in that night and checked his watch. At this time, since he was about 50 min. early, all the units would be in the mess hall. And since he was hungry, he decided to join them for a while.

As soon as Alex opened the doors to the mess hall, all eyes turned to look at him. No one was ever late to any of the meals so who could it be? Dinner had started 10 min. ago. Wolf spotted him faster that the rest. The bond between them had grown into an easy friendship, just as with the rest of K-unit, after so many fights side-by-side. They could spot each other in a crowd.

"Cub! What are you doing here? You're nearly an hour early!"

"Missed you too Wolf."

Most of the men chuckled. Alex's insolence and confidence, once so hated, was now very well received, especially since he was the only one who could mock Wolf and live to tell the tale.

"Hey there Cub, how did you get here so fast?" Snake asked.

"I'll show you later." The next 30 min. flew by between eating and talking with K-unit and some others with whom he had worked.

Gone were the days in which he was a bit freaked out by how easy it was to maintain a 'normal' conversation with men even 10 years his seniors. Sometimes he couldn't even relate to his classmates' problems but here he felt at ease, no pun intended. Now he just accepted this as true and that made his life a lot less complicated.

Wolf, Fox, who was just joining for the fun of the mission, Snake and Eagle, along with Alex, left the mess hall shortly after to get on the chopper. Upon getting there, K-unit's eyes widened in awe at Alex's magnificent bike. Alex had discussed the bike some weeks ago with K-unit and they all thought it Harley's best yet. So to see it there next to the Merlin was close to a miracle. The realisation hit then and they all turned to Alex.

"Smithers called it a 'late birthday present'." Alex smirked and that was all it took to make K-unit stare in longing and the slightest jealousy.

"Well," Snake said, regaining his composure, "now we know how you got here so fast." Alex's smirk only grew at the comment.

"Is it staying here while you're in Egypt?" said Eagle hopefully. Alex nearly snorted.

"Sure, that's totally why my present was so late! Not to mention, if it was staying, then I would've brought my car!" he retorted sarcastically.

Eagle looked crestfallen. Then Wolf apparently snapped out of it and gave the order.

"Ok, then, we better get it on the chopper." A ramp was brought and soon they were on the Merlin, bike and all.

Once in the air, the updating and information exchange (a.k.a 'normal conversation') started.

"So, Cub, what's it gonna be this time?" Fox asked.

At Alex's request, almost 2 years ago, K-unit had signed the 'O.S.A', hence receiving clearance to know any details from his missions (that Alex was willing to give).

"Yeah who're you going after this time?" Eagle added enthusiastically.

"Scorpia's best buddy." Alex said sarcastically.

"New 'U.T.O'?" smirked Wolf. Alex matched his smirk with his own and nodded. They all snorted in laughter.

Because of Alex's constant success against Scorpia, he, the SAS and the MI6 had made an internal joke of these dangerous terrorists. 'U.T.O' stood for 'Unbeatable Terrorist Organisation'

"It's called W-Storm and it belongs to a multi-billionaire called Maximillian Worthington." Alex continued. "Unfortunately that's all we know about him."

"So what exactly is the problem?" Snake asked.

"Yeah why not just let them kill each other?" Fox added.

Alex started to tell them about the very similar conversation with Blunt the day before. It felt so normal to be discussing terrorist organisations and how to take them down. Like a banker talking about world economy. And following their normal conversation pattern, they then talked about his gadgets, which was always a good laugh.

"X-ray vision sunglasses?!" Even Wolf chuckled.

"And what exactly are you gonna use those for?!" Eagle wondered. Alex hit him over the head.

"How do you know there'll even be someone to use them wrongly on?" This just brought on another round of laughter.

"Alright Cub, what is that supposed to mean?!" Wolf asked with a mocking frown and an overly done worried tone.

"I think I'll leave that to your dirty little minds." The helicopter, yet again, exploded in laughter.

"OK, OK, enough about dirty little thoughts, Cub. I mean… this bike…" Eagle left the phrase hanging in the air. They all knew what he meant.

"Smithers made a few adjustments for me." Alex said. By the time he had finished explaining the adjustments, Eagle, Snake, Fox and Wolf were staring reverently and even lovingly, at the bike.

"All that for… well, you?" demanded Eagle indignantly.

"Yes." Alex answered.

"Why?" Eagle whined.

"Because it's normally my ass on the line and because I've saved the world more times that what you can count." Alex stated with authority.

"Come on Cub." Fox said from the front of the AW101. "You're not being fair." Everyone stared at him; Fox was always the first to give Alex credit for his missions. Fox just carried on. "If you said that to me or Wolf or Snake, it would be, but seeing as Eagle can't really count that well, than you're not being fair on yourself."

Had Alex, Wolf and Snake not been currently strapped to a flying helicopter, they would've rolled on the floor. But since they were, they could only bend over in their seats and struggle not to choke with laughter, tears already streaming down their faces. And had Fox not been the one piloting the vehicle, Eagle would've hit him.

The conversation then carried on from Eagle's limited intelligence, one of their favourite subjects, to new offensive tactics, the possibility of Alex spending a couple of weeks from holidays to go back to Brecon Beacons, to any new threats to world or country that any of them knew about. This was Alex's world. The one he knew, craved, enjoyed and truly belonged to.

Had his classmates ever seen him like this, they would never have recognised him. Though, now he thought about it, there had been that one time. It had been during their last holiday, over the summer, when his classmates had told Alex to go with them for they would try to get into a bar. Alex, at that moment in Brecon Beacons, training, had declined thinking he wouldn't make it and that he would probably get bored.

But because of the weather hitting an all-time-high in temperature, they had all been given the following weekend off. And so Alex, along with the whole of K-unit, had taken off in one of the jeeps and gone back to London, not even bothering to change from their black t-shirts, military cargo trousers and combat boots. Once in the city, they had entered one of the bars in Alex's neighbourhood. Suddenly the doors opened and in came all of Alex's friends, Tom amongst them.

Alex had been ready to dive for cover already sharing an amused glance with his fellow SAS for, even though MI6 had made Alex an adult, his classmates, for sure, had no business in a bar. But when the teenagers looked over and clustered over on the other side of the bar to avoid 'the soldiers' as Alex and K-unit overheard, they could hardly contain their laughter. When Alex, days after, had told Tom about it, Tom had laughed his ass off, not being able to believe he hadn't recognised Alex at once. And speaking of classmates…

"Hey, Cub, how did your friends take the fact that you took down a 'crazy guy with a gun'?" Snake asked, using the 'official version' of the incident. The rest of K-unit nodded as if they had been waiting for that question to be asked. Alex's face dropped a bit.

"Well, first things first, the girls in the gym flooded me with flirting, saying I had saved them and whatnot. Then my gym teacher will probably have guessed I have something to do with the military 'cause he's a retired army officer himself. Then, the whole school heard about it and, by lunch, all the kids were talking about how I took down an army of assassins. They asked me, I told them the real, well 'official' version, they still thought it cool so I had to put up with whisperings, sighs, stares and congrats for the rest of the day. Oh! And the headmaster called me to congratulate me as well. Something about a reward for school services, Jones is dealing with it right now I think." A short silence followed this small speech, then there was an outburst of snorts from Fox, Snake, Wolf, and Eagle.

"Well there's a new one!" Wolf said, actually laughing.

"Yeah, you never told us girls sighed for you in the corridors!" Eagle added.

"I think this calls for a few cameras to prove your statement!" They carried on like that for a while until Alex got bored of the lack of creativity of the conversation.

"Just because a girl has never looked at any of you before like that, doesn't mean it can't happen to anyone else. And stop behaving like my classmates." He calmly said. That shut them up for certain.

"Damn it Cub, when did you become such a 007?" Fox wondered.

"If you didn't notice, since I turned 16." Alex replied, sarcasm noticeable in his voice. Wolf chuckled. Then he became serious.

"We heard about that second attack earlier today..." he said tentatively. Alex looked slightly surprised and very pissed off. "Don't be so surprised. You're part of this unit! Anyway, how did that go?"

The helicopter fell silent for they had all heard about the attack and knew what had happened. Alex's classmates had been attacked and they all knew that this was where Alex drew the line. And right now, he looked as angry as ever.

"Oh... yeah... I dealt with it." Was all he said. They had all seen Alex in action and his version of dealing with a threat was rather painful for whoever he was going against.

"Could you... elaborate on that?" asked Fox. Alex grimaced but complied.

"We were at a bowling alley and all of a sudden the lights flickered. With me that's never a good sign. Jones called and said there were 6 scorpions on their way. I got pissed off and got permission to deal with them." This time, it was K-unit's turn at the grimace. Alex chuckled at their faces. "Yeah, it wasn't pretty. They came in and demanded I come with them. They tried to play hostage with me." K-unit chuckled. Playing hostage with Alex was like taunting a hungry tiger with a peace of meat. Lethal. "Of course, that pissed me off even further but I knew we couldn't go on to the gun confrontation. They tried to threaten my classmates and I nearly cracked. I managed to exchange myself for the girls they had grabbed and the idiots went into a hexagonal formation. After that I took them down easy. I'm pretty sure the spinning kick I threw at the last one broke his skull, but the bastard was cowering away from me and towards my classmates with a gun at the ready so... in any case, the talking lasted more than the actual fighting." This last was expected. Alex hadn't yet met a situation he couldn't control. "Then MI6 teams arrived and there was the explaining, the signing, the swearing and cursing, and the pledging and after that we were free to go. We went to eat, I got bombarded by questions and I bought them all a round of beer. End of story. I still can't believe they didn't just run away in fear though." K-unit couldn't help but feel proud.

"You'd just saved their lives, man, they were grateful..." Fox said.

"Yeah, but they wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for the danger _I_ put them in!"

"Wow Cub, I have to admit, you have grown. You're... well... very different from any 17-year-old."

"Please tell me your statement had some other target, apart from hitting the painfully obvious." Alex said with an almost unnoticeable tone of exasperation, the last hold his hormones had over his actions. K-unit chuckled at his pun.

"Well, a normal kid wouldn't have been able to handle a situation like that. Not with your coolness. They would've completely freaked out, which, now I think about it, they probably did. You assessed, you acted and you got away with no casualties. I'm kind of embarrassed to say this but... we're really proud of you." Fox, Snake, and Eagle nodded. "You've grown, and never before has it been as obvious as it is now."

"Strange." Was all Alex said.

"You don't think a kid would've reacted like that?" Fox asked.

"It's not that. If anything I know they would've. It's just… I couldn't help but think that myself, earlier today. I guess it's clear that I don't fall under the label of 'kid' anymore." Alex replied. Silence fell over the Merlin. Then, Wolf sighed.

"No, you don't anymore. I guess it's the price to pay for all the fun you get." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice and Alex, catching it, chuckled softly. "But I suppose, if it matters, we could avoid the subject." Wolf finished. K-unit nodded in agreement.

"Don't bother, it doesn't matter. In any case, it's a small price to pay." Alex said with a small smile. "It just leaves me wondering 'cause, up to now, I hadn't noticed it either. It felt right. I know the difference. I guess I would do it myself. Actually, now you mention it, I have done it plenty of times." Silence yet again received Alex's words. Until Eagle decided to break it.

"Since when did we get so philosophical?" They all just stared at him until Alex decided he just needed to retort.

"To you it may be philosophical; to us it is a simple, normal conversation. But we can change the subject if your brain doesn't feel up to it." Maybe it was the calmness of Alex's voice, or the obvious joke, or the implied 'DUH!' tone. Or maybe simply that they hadn't laughed in a while now. Which ever it was, it seemed to Snake, Wolf and Fox that they hadn't yet laughed this hard.

A/N: I am soooo sorry for not updating sooner!!!! All I can say to my defence is that I've been overwhelmed with course work for my IBs so I just couldn't take the time. I hope this is up to your standards. R&R!!!


	6. How to infiltrate a terrorist org 101

CHAPTER 6: 'How to infiltrate a terrorist org. 101'

It was already close to 1 in the morning when Fox spoke.

"Alright ladies, 10 minutes to landing. Get ready Cub, 'cause you're supposed to get off as soon as possible and we're supposed to search the area for you." Alex nodded. He knew the drill. So he decided to go for the dramatic effect, as well as, that way, it _would_ seem he was running away.

He unbuckled himself, stood up, grabbed his stuff and went over to his bike. He secured his bag inside the luggage box at the back of the bike, locked it and started to unhook the bike from the latches that held it to the AW101.

"What are you doing?" Wolf's voice had a shade of disbelief mixed in with its usual neutrality.

"What does it look like? Oh, and Fox… there'll be no need to land. Just tell me when were overflying the ground at... 5 m." A stunned silence followed these instructions.

Fox could only nod. The rest just stared. As Alex had told him, Fox shouted out at him, over the engine's noise, once they were 5 m. above the ground. Alex mounted his bike and asked if there were any roads nearby. Fox told him they would be overflying one in about 30 seconds. Doing a mental count-down, Alex ignited the bike's engine and asked:

"Any idea where the East Harbour is?" He had been there before, but, on the previous times, he had been taken over to the Harbour. So he was in dire need of directions. Wolf pointed to the West and Alex nodded, rolling his eyes at himself. _'Should've known' _he thought, '_we're flying south'_. Alex stood at a comical attention and, upon starting to count _'5'_, saluted his fellow SAS and speeded off the chopper. He landed with an inaudible 'plop'. Thanking Smithers' genius he started west, down the road, hopefully, towards East Harbour.

Feeling the wind on his face, the adrenaline of the jump bumping through his veins, and the excitement of this new challenge, Alex started falling into his spy-mode. It was a freeing sensation, it was his way of acknowledging the power he had, his strength, his weaknesses, getting rid of all that, gaining balance, calm, even peace. His only focus was his next step towards the end of the mission, his only goal was reaching his target. He was back on the game.

About an hour later, Alex arrived at the Harbour. The buildings weren't particularly pretty, but the view of the sea was breathtaking. Unfortunately, Alex wasn't on a sight-seeing tour. He rode around the Harbour a couple of times and decided that he needed information as to where this Worthington guy could be.

And so, he headed to find one of the best sources of information he knew of in Alexandria: a good local pub by the name of "House of Ra". He knew the owner, who was also bartender. Nice guy and he had helped Alex with his investigations in past missions. His name was Mark O'Hara and he had actually been in the MI6 before retiring a few years ago. So on his first assignments in Egypt, Alex had been put in contact with him. He would be giving good old Mark a good surprise. He was sure Mark wasn't expecting him. Sadly he couldn't quite remember his way around the place. Although… thanks to his previous visits, he spoke fluent Egyptian, even if many people there spoke English (A/N: no clue if that's true!).

Alex believed that when you spoke the local language well enough, locals tended to trust you more than if you didn't. On several occasions he had been proven correct. This was no different. So, half an hour, 2 bulky sailors and quite a few turns later, Alex was comfortably seated on one of the booths at Mark's pub. The place was packed! He saw Mark and waved, receiving the acknowledgement from Mark immediately, who moved towards him from the other side of the bar.

"Alex! What the blazes are you doing here pal?!"

"See you've missed me." Alex answered sarcastically. "And what else could I be doing in Egypt?! Work of course!" Mark laughed.

"Still tied to that ol' dog huh? Figured it'd be him who wouldn't let you go!" As Alex's view of Blunt had once been, Mark's opinion on the Head of MI6 wasn't the best.

"Well at least I'm able to appreciate the perks of being in the organisation. Car, bike, 'official adulthood' and absolute immunity every time I kick the crap out of any criminal? Not to mention the more than agreeable pay-check and the usual dose of adrenaline? Come on, I never thought I'd say this, but I think it's worth it."

"You're out of your effing mind Al. You just see the superficial good part of the whole issue. But one day, you'll find yourself in a tight spot where you're going to wish you were just like any normal guy. And then I'd like to see your views on this again."

"Mark, buddy, you know I've nothing to loose. Jack will be gone by the end of this year, when I turn 18 and truly become an adult. And then, I'll be free to kick and be kicked, threaten and be threatened. My friends already think me enough of a freak, I get along better with my SAS unit than I do with the whole lot of them put together; I'm no kid to live the life of one. For once MI6 will be doing some good in someone's life. And besides, I haven't gotten into a situation I can't get out of."

"Yet." Mark retorted though he didn't look as sure of Alex's situation as before. Alex merely shrugged it off.

"Just get me a coke, ice, and... yeah add in a finger or two of Jack Daniel's." Mark just laughed at this and proceeded to serve Alex's order.

"There you go Al. Coke, ice and two fingers of Jack Daniel's. And don't worry, it's on the house." Mark said a few moments afterwards.

"No pun intended?" Alex said with a smirk. Mark laughed.

"Man, I've missed you kiddo!" then, he moved to other customers.

Alex then took the time to study said customers. Most, or rather all, of them were sailors, very much like the ones that had pointed him here: bulky, gorilla-like men, with more muscle than brains. They were talking loudly as one would expect, and ignoring the young foreigner sitting alone at the bar. Some pointed at him, sneering at 'the blond pretty-boy who thought himself man enough to drink with them'. Alex ignored the taunting. Even his classmates could come up with something better to insult him with.

His ears, at the moment, were working like radars, catching every bit of dirt and every type of information he could get on his surroundings. Finally he heard a group of 5 sailors a few tables away, talking about a business they had with 'a lord from outside the city'. For Alex, this meant leaping into action soon enough. If there was one thing he didn't like about a mission, it was waiting for the necessary info.

Alex had just heard the sailors talking about a delivery they had to make that very morning when one of the most daring and obnoxious gorillas who had been leering at him stood up, went over, and asked Alex what did he think he was doing. The guy's friends roared their approval. Time ago, Alex would've been slightly worried about the size and number of guys he was up against. But he had perfected his martial arts, combined them, mixing styles, making him impossible to predict. Not to mention he had his badge (which, thinking about it, he couldn't use now, but what the hell), his usual confidence, and, of course, his gun.

So he just stared calmly back at the ape-like sailor sneering down at him and answered.

"I'm having a drink." He said in Egyptian. He wasn't about to give any info on himself.

"And what makes you think you have the balls to come and drink here with us men?" the sailor asked, his mates laughing. It was obvious he was referring to him and his friends only. This made the rest of the pub fairly angry. Alex decided to use that to his advantage.

"Oh! You guys were actual men? I thought you were over-weight, cuddly panda bears!"

Alex said with fake surprise, his voice dripping sarcasm.

The pub exploded with laughter, Mark's laugh very much present in the deafening noise. But, of course, ape-guy and his friends didn't look too happy about this.

"Why you little-" ape-guy said lunging for Alex's head.

Only trouble was… Alex wasn't there to get hit. _'Did the idiot really expect me to stay put?'_ Alex wondered when he saw the surprised look on the guy's face when he noticed Alex had 'disappeared'. Once again everyone except for the guy's friends laughed some even cheering for Alex.

As the 'fight' progressed, Alex decided he would just duck out of the way and knock them out (the other 5 idiots had already joined in). Until he got bored. That and, not one of the cowards back at the HQs had wanted to spar with him.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw 2 of the gorillas coming in from his left while he was fighting ape-guy. He flipped back, kicking ape-guy's temple while airborne. When he had his feet back on the ground he took a defensive stance but the two other guys (and every body else for that matter) had frozen. Ape-guy was out cold.

Alex smirked in satisfaction and turned to the 2 guys on his left and the 3 behind him. They were completely dumbfounded. Oh, this would be only too easy; they'd never know what hit them.

Taking his chance, Alex kicked the guy behind him sending him sprawling on top of two other of his friends and turned to the two he had in front. He ducked the punches aimed at his head and kicked the legs from under both guys. Retreating quickly in order to not get caught in the mass of limbs now falling down, he turned to the two other guys who had recovered.

With a spinning kick he managed to hit the temple of one, knock him out cold and make him knock the other guy down. By this time the two in front and the guy he had first kicked behind him were getting up. Loosing no time he elbowed the two men in front of him behind the neck, successfully knocking them cold and turned to the third guy. He was still breathless and was bent over trying to get some air. Not wasting the opportunity, Alex punched the guy on the side of the head and took him down.

Checking around for anyone he had missed Alex saw the amazed faces of everyone, except Mark, as Alex was standing in the centre of the bar, surrounded by gorilla-sized men he had knocked out.

Calmly, Alex walked over to the bar and finished his drink. A few moments later, the bar was nearly back to normal. Bar fights between sailors were common enough. Alex was the only surprise factor so the rest of the men in the place stood slightly on edge but that had never bothered him. Suddenly the group of 5 who had been in the corner, and who Alex recognised as the ones who had been talking about W-Storm, came over to "congratulate him". Keeping his cool Alex answered their questions: no, he hadn't been looking for a fight, he was a black belt on several martial arts and he was only in Alexandria to take a break. Around 3 they asked if he had a place to crash in, Alex said no, since it was a bit of a flash visit. Asking if he had something to do, they invited him to come with them, since they had comfortable lodgings and could hold him for a night. Seeing right through that lie as the chance he needed, Alex agreed, apparently thankful. He signalled goodbye to Mark, making him understand he was after a lead, and left.

Alex followed the men outside and where he received instructions of following their van. Basking in the envious looks he got, Alex jumped on his Harley and started down the way the van was leaving.

They continued on the same highway Alex had used to get to the Harbour, all the time going east. In half an hour they had left the Harbour behind and were on their way to the seemingly endless desert. Alex didn't get to see anything but sand for 2 whole hours. He wasn't one to worry, but he was starting to wonder if this was such a good idea. For one thing, he had no clue as to where they were heading. But his gut told him he should keep going. After all, if he left now, he would never know if this lead was fake or not. And the possibility of its being legitimate was worth finding out. He felt safe enough and the lost time would be worth ruling out a fake clue. And just as he made up his mind to follow this to the end the van turned right. As if heading off towards the sea.

Within 15 minutes of this change in course he was able to get a glimpse of some sort of private bay and sometime later they arrived at a huge pair of iron, ornate gates. Finally, they were in.

The van was unloaded and men with guns grabbed Alex who, for once, decided not to fight back. Minutes later he was escorted to one of the hugest manors he had ever seen. As Alex walked he took in every detail there was in the place. The stones of the pathway, the carvings of the entrance, the amount of turns to wherever they were taking him.

They stopped at a pair of elegant oak doors. There were 2 armed men standing at attention at either side of the doors. They took one glance at Alex and opened the doors. The room inside was vast and very well furnished. The walls were lined with bookshelves and the wall in front of the door was made entirely of glass. In front of this huge window was an elegant desk with a laptop, some papers and a lonely picture facing the chair. And at the desk... was Maximilian Worthington himself.

The man carried himself with that characteristic air of superiority Alex had come to associate with certain kinds of people: crime lords and war lords, politicians, aristocracy and, sometimes, military. It was an air Alex liked adopting for it was fun to watch people practically bow respectfully at you. Some time back Alex had realised that when you believe yourself above the rest of the world, and you gave the appearance of it, other people would do so too. And right now he needed Worthington to consider him at least his equal, worthy of working for him. Not to mention he needed the guards to stay out of his way. So he quietly slipped into what he and Tom, jokingly, called the 'James Bond' mode. He had tried it at school and the reactions he had gotten from his classmates were still a standing joke between him and Tom every time they were recalled. If ever he wanted to demand respect, this was the attitude he knew he should adopt.

Alex held his head high, his entire body exuding confidence, his eyes hardened. The message got through to everyone: Alex wasn't one you wanted as an enemy and you shouldn't get in his way. The guards gripped their guns still more firmly and Alex allowed himself a small smirk of satisfaction. He could risk it. Lord Worthington himself smirked calmly. He had obviously also gotten Alex's drift.

"So... what brings the great Alex Rider to my humble abode?" he inquired in a deep, soft voice, and a perfect English. He was, after all, and English gentleman.

Alex kept his face neutral, as if he had been caught. Truth be told, he knew they were expecting him. That was the idea.

"Surely you know your reputation precedes you?" Worthington's smirk grew wider.

"I guess I've got nothing to hide." Alex answered with a shrug, as if giving up.

"Quite right." Worthington nodded. "But you still haven't answered my question... what are you doing here?"

'_So... someone's a little short in patience.'_ Alex thought. _'Excellent.'_ He knew by now that impatient men were easily controlled. And so, he put on his cheeky grin.

"Just visiting." He said. Worthington's eyes narrowed.

"I don't like visitors." He said in a low, vicious whisper, signalling for his guards to attack.

Alex reacted instantly. He dived for cover behind Worthington's desk, knocked Worthington out of his chair, and grabbed a sharp letter opener that lay on the table, putting it to the man's neck. Now, he was the one holding all the cards.

"My lord you should know better than to leave me a weapon." Alex said sarcastically. "Now, if you could please tell your men to stand down." He said in a polite way, as if they were two gentlemen drinking tea in the living room instead of enemies in a room full of armed men. But the aristocrat didn't move.

'_Fine, then, let's change of tactic.'_ Alex thought. Putting on his serious face, he moved the letter opener to the man's carotid artery and spoke again.

"Lord Worthington, don't push me to do something that neither of us will like. I have no intention of spilling your blood on my favourite leather jacket and I'm sure you have no intention of spilling your blood, period. I came to join you, sick and tired as I am of MI6, but if you're not willing to give me a job I can always kill you, take the entire organisation down, go back to England and have the MI6 receive me with honours. It's your choice: gain an operative or test hell. What will it be?"

Alex's tone left no opening for option C. He was quite capable of killing, and if he managed to prove it was in self defence, which would be quite easy, (Blunt trusted Alex's decisions on the matter) then he would get away with it. _'Not to mention if I kill the guy I was sent to stop, they can't say a word...'_

"You would never get out of here alive." Alex smirked down at the crime lord.

"I've gotten out of tighter spots. I, for one, doubt that this manor has nearly as much security as a Scorpia base."

Awe, surprise, respect, anger, disbelief and suspicion all flashed in Worthington's face as if on a slideshow.

"You've worked for Scorpia?"

"And then got the hell away."

"Why?"

"Because they killed my parents so we ended up having a bit of a conflict." Alex said, half-serious, half-sarcastic.

"So why should I believe you're on my side?"

"Would it be enough proof to let you go? But then again, that'll happen once those pretty little, loaded, guns are pointing somewhere other than my head."

"Fair enough." And he signalled for his men to point their guns somewhere else. Alex let him go and calmly returned to his seat. He knew he was taking a considerable risk but it had to be done. He had to prove Worthington that he could be trusted.

Meanwhile, the aristocrat stood up, stunned that Alex had kept his word. If there was someone Worthington respected it was a man, or woman, of word. Hence his view of Alex shifted. He knew he was one of the best spies of the time, and because of this an excellent actor, but Maximilian Worthington knew honour was particularly hard to fake. So he decided to test Alex.

"Quite the foolish move agent Rider." He said, signalling for his men to aim at the young spy. And he saw Alex tense, saw his eyes narrow with resignation and fury. In all honesty, Alex had expected this move. He was being tested. But it was true that, because of the chance he had taken, he was resigned to have to fight his way out and find a way to accomplish the mission. Unfortunately for Worthington, this came across as honour, indignation and determination. And so, Alex won the lord's trust.

"If there is something I'm good at, agent Rider, it is reading people." He said, ordering his men to stand down. Alex relaxed almost imperceptibly. "You are a man of your word, Alex Rider, and I respect and admire that of you."

Alex had to hold in a snort that would've ruined everything and instead, fake a more relaxed composure. Nowadays he never lowered his guard, much less during a mission of this importance. "Welcome to Storm. You'll be quite an asset to our organisation."

Alex smiled gratefully and, for once, honestly. He was thankful that he had gotten in. This made the mission, and hence his life, a lot easier. But Worthington needn't know that. In his mind, he went through the plan for this assignment: prove himself in every, and any, possible way, climb to be Worthington's right hand man, contact MI6, find lord W's weakness, use it to lure the aristocrat to the clutches of MI6 and get the hell out of the place. Nothing would make him change his mind. Nothing would make him waver. Or so he thought...

A/N: oohhh.... I'm bad... NOT. So there's a cliff hanger to leave you interested. Of course I'm not taking into account how good a cliff hanger it may be.


	7. The Flaw in the Plan

CHAPTER 7: 'The Flaw in the Plan'

"You will not regret your decision my lord." Alex said respectfully while bowing his head slightly.

"I am sure, agent Rider, that there is no need to remind you, your loyalty will be put to the test in more ways than one and you will be put under surveillance, at least until I am satisfied with your development in this organisation." There was no point in denying it. Worthington would be watching Alex like a hawk. And if the kid was as good as he was said to be, then he would know it. Worthington didn't think he was risking anything by telling the young agent that he was going to be under a microscope for an indefinite amount of time.

"Of course, my lord, I understand. And I can assure you that I will not give you any reason to complain about me." If there was something Alex could give himself credit for, it was that he could act. And yes, he knew he was going to be watched. That's what this was all about. The more watched he was the more chances he would have at proving himself worthy of working at Storm. Alex smirked to himself, _'I love it when things go my way...'_

He suppressed the smirk and raised as soon as Worthington stood up, playing every bit of the faithful servant as best he could.

"Now, how about we start with those tests, agent Rider?" said the crime lord. His tone carried a thinly veiled threat. On whose life, Alex was yet unsure.

Worthington moved away from his desk and towards the exit, Alex by his side. Some of the guards had moved to restrain the young spy but the gentleman had stopped them. And Alex knew he had a fair chance of accomplishing his mission, as fully as with all the others.

As they were walking, they passed by the manor's entrance hall. The amazing staircase that stood at the back was a work of art, like everything else in the building: marble, with golden verandas, dividing upwards to meet the two main upstairs corridors, it seemed to have been pulled out of a fairytale castle.

And with this awing scenery, Alex saw her for the first time. His praise and judgement of her were swift, thorough, yet open-minded. The beautiful girl was standing on the landing, half-way down the stairs. Blue eyes, long, curly, chocolate brown hair, flawless cinnamon skin, and a figure that would put Aphrodite herself to shame, all this beauty was wrapped in a floor-length, white and flimsy dress. She was the image of perfection. How such a gorgeous girl had ended up in this mess was beyond Alex. Her entrance cast a surreal aura over the soldiers and even Alex himself.

And yet, upon further inspection, she wasn't as flawless as she had first appeared. Her beauty was marred by her haughty stare and a frown of contempt for her surroundings that seemed to be solidifying every second. She obviously thought herself above her current situation, which brought Alex back to the question of her situation. What was her role in this organisation?

The spell of her charm was broken by the aristocrat himself.

"Good morning my darling." He said. Alex started to ponder as to where her privilege ended and where her captivity started. She obviously enjoyed the lord's favour. But if she was so miserable, how did she maintain it? His question was immediately answered.

"Hello papa!" she exclaimed, looking cheerful for the first time. She gave 'papa' a simple, though radiant smile that increased her beauty ten-fold. Her voice was angelical, her accent was perfect. The importance of her words was the next thing that hit Alex, and he felt as if he had just walked into a wall.

Looking at Worthington, he saw the unmistakable look of a father who was ready to give his life and that of his men, for the safety and well-being of his daughter. Here was, at last, lord Worthington's weakness.

She was Alex's target for this mission. _'Now that's just great.'_ He thought. _'My target is the spoiled brat of a crime lord.'_

As Alex was going through all this in his mind, lady Worthington reached the bottom of the stairs, went to stand beside her father and noticed the young spy before her for the first time. The only way to describe what she saw was drop-dead-gorgeous. Chocolate brown eyes she could get lost in, soft, golden hair, sun-kissed skin, and, as far as she could see, only hell of a body.

Oh. My. God! What was he doing here? For one mad second, she held onto the hope that this was another one of her father's tries at keeping her content. If it was, this would be her father's first success. But she immediately dismissed it. This boy, if he could be called a boy, had something different about him. For one thing, he seemed perfectly calm in a room full of armed men, as if he was used to it. For another, he had an air of maturity that she couldn't quite understand. His eyes told of having seen and lived through situations he shouldn't have at his age, which ever that was. She decided to quit pondering over it and simply ask.

"Papa, who is this?" she asked as arrogant an air as possible. She hated to play the conceited child. She really wasn't. But it was the only way to keep the soldiers, and even her father, at bay. If they thought that she was going to run and complain to daddy at any minute about anything, they treated her with the utmost respect. If not, they just looked at her as a piece of meat. She was strictly off bounds, as were her terrorised maids, but one could never be too sure. Not to mention, if she pretended to be the airheaded daughter of their boss, she would learn key pieces of information she never would've gotten any other way. She wasn't a spy. No, far from it. But she also wasn't exactly on her father's side. She hated being cooped up in this manor, beautiful as it was. She hated that her father had entered this whole bloody business. And she wanted out. So far, she hadn't convinced her father to send her to her villa in Spain. Her mother had been from there and the villa was beautiful and secluded. She could live a peaceful life from there. But no, she had to stay here, surrounded by soldiers, in this bloody heat, and with the fear of being attacked any day. But perhaps her life would become more interesting with this new arrival.

"Funny you should ask Bella." Answered Worthington with a hidden something in his voice that to Bella could only be bad news. He called Alex over and made the introduction.

"Bella, this is Alex Rider, former MI6 agent, and ex-Scorpia operative. He has come to join us. Mr. Rider, this is my beautiful daughter Isabella Worthington. She is the lady of this house and is to be treated accordingly, of course."

"Of course, your lordship." Yep, it seemed that the 'lady of the house' was Worthington's only weakness, all the better seeing as that way, there was less to find and more time to win Worthington over. But Alex's senses were tingling with an unsolved mystery. What was the deal here? What kind of a crime lord introduces his daughter to a mere operative? And what exactly was it that seemed to make the girl so bloody miserable?

It was obvious that, while the mystery of the stranger had lasted, Bella Worthington had been very interested on what this stranger had to say for his gorgeous self. But now that he had been revealed to be her father's newest acquisition, not to mention apparently deadly, though also terribly handsome... _'Stop thinking that!'_ Bella chastised herself. This was just another one of her father's soldiers. Nothing she wanted to get involved with. Right? She focused back on the scene before her.

"Bella, my darling, we were just going to agent Rider's trials. It is my wish that you should accompany us." Worthington's words shocked Alex more than anything he had heard so far. Ask a teenage girl to accompany soldiers to a potentially lethal demonstration of his abilities was twisted. No wonder Isabella looked so miserable. _'Where did that come from?!'_ he thought. Alex made it a rule not to refer to his enemies by their first name. And that had worked fine so far. _'And I'm not about to start now.'_ He thought fiercely. He wasn't going to let lady Worthington's beauty get to him. She was the spoiled brat of a crime lord and he was Alex effing Rider. And as arrogant as that seemed, he couldn't allow her to get to him. He needed to focus. Or this mission could go very wrong.

Throughout this whole line of thought, Isabella had remained silent. Her honest answer would be 'Like HELL I want to go!' and make a dash for the stairs, running to lock herself in her room, where not a single man from this house had ever set foot. Not even her father. But she couldn't afford it. Her father would take her kicking and screaming if he had to. Better, then, to go by herself, with what little dignity she had left. God, how she hated having to bend to her father's will. She wondered sometimes what would happen if she started refusing everything and going about on her own whims like she used to. What would her father do? She didn't think him capable of harming her, but she also hadn't thought him capable of being a terrorist. She was in no position to risk anything.

"Alright, father." Alex noticed how her melodious voice was laced with hatred and misery. So maybe she was a prisoner. The previous plan started re-writing itself in his head: if he could get close to her, somehow, and that was a risk on its own, then, maybe, he could get her on his side to bring this whole op. down. The probabilities that she would go against her on father were low, but Alex was a very persuasive guy when he wanted and needed to be. So she was the key to the whole mission. Bugger.

"Excellent. This way then, agent Rider."

By this time, there were about a dozen armed men around them. Them, Alex, lord and lady Worthington proceeded to make their way to the back of the house. All the while, Alex stuck to Worthington's side. His left side, seeing as Isabella was undeniably more important than him, but he went ahead of the rest. And his gaze never wavered from Isabella. Lady Worthington walked with grace, elegance, holding her head high. But here eyes were dull. The spark that had ignited at the sight of her father was long gone. And Alex couldn't blame her. He cherished his own freedom above everything in the world, and couldn't imagine what life would be like being kept captive for any extended period of time. He would frankly go crazy.

They entered one of the hugest gardens ever. On the far side they could see a building, ¾ of the size of the house. That's where they were headed. A winding road led to the building and there was a carriage, the sort of thing you would see in a Disney movie, pulled by two beautiful Arabian horses awaiting orders. This arrangement was clearly for the lady's benefit. Lord and lady Worthington climb into the carriage, while the others were left to walk. _'Making sure everyone knows their place.'_ Alex thought. _'So probably, for now, I should target to getting a ride on that thing. That should tell me I'm there.'_

About 10 minutes later, they found themselves at the doors of the building which Alex now recognized as some sort of gym. Upon entering he was proven correct. He heard many sighs and groans of relief coming from the men behind him as the air conditioning hit them pleasantly. Alex turned to discover that these supposedly tough soldiers could be disarmed by the mere heat of the day, and he smirked. The walk, in a way, had also been part of the test. And he had, to put it someway, 'passed with merit'.

As soon they arrived, lord Worthington signalled for all twelve armed men with them to prepare to attack. Guns and all.

"Let us test your battle skills agent Rider." Worthington said.

Alex smirked inwardly. This was precisely the chance he had been looking for. He needed to fully focus in the mission. A good fight, not just an exercise like at the bar, always made him enter a sort of trance where he became the cold-blooded agent criminal organisations feared. From then on, he gained full control over his senses, instincts and impulses. From then on, he was lethal. Once again his, apparently endless, luck had kicked in.

"Begging your pardon milord, but how far will this test go?" Alex asked, calmly falling into the pre-battle state. Even Worthington had to suppress a shiver with this comment. But he pulled himself together and looked back at Alex.

"Just bear in mind this is a test, agent Rider, there should be no casualties." He answered. Certainly he wanted to test the young spy, but he was of the idea that there was no need to waste his men's lives if an order could avoid it. Alex nodded. Then fell into fighting stance.

The order was stated, the signal was given, and the fight begun. Immediately, Alex launched himself towards the closest attacker and delivering a punch to the man's temple before anybody could react. Alex's audience could notice he was holding back. Worthington only hoped this was enough to keep his men alive.

Worthington's soldiers on edge, they started circling him, holding onto their guns for dear life. Alex was now standing in the middle of a circle of armed men. Worthington had heard his daughter gasp when the first guy had tried to attack Alex. He knew his Bella didn't like the organisation one bit. But she would come to. Yet the look on her face, when Alex knocked the guy out, was of surprise, yet relief. He turned back to the "arena" at Bella's next gasp, to see the young spy surrounded by his men. So, Isabella Marie Worthington was apparently worried for Mr. Rider. This could be interesting.

He turned back to the fight in the gym just in time to see Alex jump over his goons' heads, landing behind one of the new ones. The guy's poor experience made him react too late by which time Alex had already knocked him to the floor with a chop to the neck. And before anyone could move a muscle, he threw a spinning kick to his left, taking down another soldier. Not waiting for the man to hit the ground, Alex did an aerial, reached the next guy and took his gun. The room held its breath and let it go when Alex used the machine gun as a club against the man's head instead of firing.

Only when this happened, did the guards remember about the guns they were holding. Worthington called for the bulletproof shield to be lifted. Once the stands were protected he signalled for the fight to continue. He had no doubt that Alex could take his men down. But how good was he with guns? After all, any Scorpia operative prided him or herself on the deadliness of their accuracy with fire weapons.

As soon as the fight resumed, Alex started avoiding bullets, and shooting back with the Scorpia trademark lethality. _'Someone should've warned these guys that Scorpions don't miss. The one thing I have to be grateful for from those bastards.'_ Alex thought. Too bad for them, then, when they didn't take Worthington seriously when he said Alex had worked and trained with Scorpia. So making sure not to hit anything vital, Alex systematically took all of his opponents down. Running at them, shooting their feet, grazing their sides, hitting their arms, then arriving at their sides to hit pressure points to knock them cold. In about 2 or 3 minutes, he was done. And he still had some rounds left. A medical team arrived immediately, took Alex's gun for good measure, and proceeded to tend to the fainted men. Alex heard a hissing sound and turned to see the bulletproof glass sink to the ground. Surprisingly enough there was relief on Bella Worthington's face. Deciding to ponder on this later, he turned to Worthington, who seemed greatly impressed.

"Excellent, agent Rider, excellent. I've never seen anyone move like that." The lord said. Alex bowed respectfully, playing his part. His breathing had already evened out. "Shall we go for breakfast?" Alex then realised he hadn't eaten since leaving Brecon Beacons and so smiled gratefully.

"I would be honoured my lord."

"Come then." Worthington, Isabella and Alex exited the gym, were some of the men were still being taken care off. The lord and his daughter went to get on the carriage and Alex made to follow it back to the house. At this point, Isabella Worthington looked at him meaningfully and Alex approached her, bowing, wondering what she could want. She held out her hand and Alex, taking the hint, stepped closer held her hand, placed one of his on her lower back and hoisted the haughty young lady up into her carriage. He had no clear idea as to why the blazes she would order something like this. Because it wasn't a favour. No, Isabella Worthington didn't come across as one to ask for favours. That much had been clear to Alex as soon as she had stepped off the stairs back at the house. Perhaps it was her way of stating her status. Maybe she wanted to intimidate him. In any case, neither had worked.

Up to this point, Alex had avoided the girl's eyes, as a sign of respect. But when he went to shut the carriage door, he found her baby blue orbs staring straight into his brown eyes. Fortunately his training kicked back in, reminding him of his place in this food chain, and he averted his gaze, allowing the girl a smirk and the feeling that she had gotten to him.

Worthington, meanwhile, was assessing the situation he had gotten himself into. He wasn't one to fear others easily, but he couldn't help the apprehension he felt at the prospect of having his beautiful daughter and this handsome, yet deadly operative living under the same roof. True, Alex had come to join him, but he still didn't know why, and despite his apparent submission, his behaviour back at the gym was nerve-wracking. The 'kid' had fired at his men without flinching or hesitating, hitting every target. He had made a weapon out of a letter opener for Christ's sake! And he didn't want Alex to turn on him.

Beckoning the young man to follow then back to the house he saw his daughter's face drop into the faintest hint of disappointment. He just hoped nothing would develop of this ... what on earth was it? Attraction? Mere lust? He shivered at the thought. Perhaps it was simply the lack of a young person's presence in the house. Maybe this was what he needed to appease his daughter's rebellious spirits. He could only hope.

Outside, Alex was also pondering over the meaning of Isabella's behaviour. There was always the possibility of it being the classic crush he suffered from back at home, courtesy of the girls from his school. Perhaps it was just how she was. What ever it was, Alex was starting to realise this whimsical child could mess with his mission. The girl could turn out a real nuisance for, as spoiled as she could get to be, and Alex understood that, of these limits, he was woefully unaware, she didn't seem particularly evil. So he couldn't just get rid of her. But he also couldn't afford screwing up. Not now.

Isabella was confused. To say the least. Why on Earth had she felt so relieved to see Rider unharmed at the end of the battle? Ridiculous thought, really. If anything, she was impressed. Not of his ability to take down her father's soldiers. But of his ability to impress her father. Not even she could. She had to admit that this Alex Rider had a lot going for him. On the one hand, he was good at what he did. On the other... she hated to admit how delicious he looked at the end of the fight. The faintest sign of sweat gave his skin a slight shine, his eyes were bright, alive, exhilarated, his hair tousled, his muscles showing off beautifully. He was a sight to behold. Isabella shook her head at this. She should NOT be thinking of one of her father's soldiers like that! Attachment to anything in this mansion, other than her father (and that attachment was waning daily), was nothing more than a weakness. Not to mention that this agent was all for what her father was doing. Exactly what she hated. She pulled herself together, composed her face, and got ready for breakfast with an ex-MI6 operative. She would play her cards well. Rider's composure had slipped for a moment, when helping her into the carriage. His touch had caused electricity to run from her arm, down her spine. And she had seen something in his eyes, something that hinted at a secret. Maybe, just maybe, they could share secrets...


	8. Breakfast with a crime lord

CHAPTER 8: "Breakfast with a crime lord"

Upon arriving, they all entered the breakfast parlour. Alex lagged behind, not wanting to seem too straight forward. He didn't know where he was supposed to sit and he couldn't afford coming across as disrespectful. He was well aware of how precarious his situation was. He was still in uncharted territories. Even then, he felt a strange confidence, a pull, a connection with Lady Worthington. It was very strange. And he didn't know what to make of it yet.

"Agent Rider." Lady Worthington's voice glided towards him, and Alex turned to face her, with a slight bow. "Come, sit with us. I'm sure someone with your reputation has a lot to tell." Her voice held unknown implications but since Worthington didn't seem to have anything against it, Alex took a seat on the lord's left side, several seats down from him and his daughter. It was obvious that Isabella didn't truly know about him, but then again, Maximilian had made quite an introduction.

But before he could say another word, she cleared her throat turning towards he father. Worthington looked at her, sighed and turned to Alex.

"On my left, if you please, agent Rider." Alex was astonished but hid it well. It seemed the missy held quite a bit of power over her father. Upon gazing up at her, he found the look on her face was that of the cat who had been handed the canary on a silver platter. This girl had been spoiled rotten.

Once settled, he could finally speak.

"Thank you, milady, though I doubt you would find my missions interesting. Or even appropriate. Such brute assignments are hardly worth your time."

Isabella was slightly startled, for, her father aside, she had never been refused anything, but she was very pleased. Alex's tone was just what she was used to: respectful, reverent, and with underlying admiration. This was how she was used to being treated. Perhaps having this agent around wouldn't be a bad thing. Well he wasn't a bad thing, the guy was eye-candy through and through. Isabella decided that she would do anything in her power to make sure Alex Rider rose in her father's ranks enough to be able to see him daily. Maybe she could even get him to be in his father's closest entourage. The idiots he trusted most. They were loyal, lethal, and either too cruel or too stupid to ever question her father. Alex was, so far, two out of those three. And if her father was smart, which she knew him to be, he would allow Alex in, with very little convincing on her part. Isabella silently gloated. This could be very fun.

Maximilian Worthington, on the other hand, was nothing short of stunned. He did well in hiding it, but that didn't change the fact that he was deeply impressed by Alex. His words were always respectful, loyal, devoted even. To Isabella, he was reverently complementing, flattering even. On the field, he was deadly, accurate, never doubting, well aware that a mere moment of hesitation could cost him his life. He definitely lived up to his reputation. He proceeded to look at Alex, suddenly very curious as to what he had to say about his time with MI6 and Scorpia. For he was sure that Isabella, flattered as she had been, would not settle for a no. He was right. At that very moment, his daughter was looking the spy straight in the eye. And he wasn't wavering. There was a confidence exuding from him that spoke clearly of having held the attention of countless girls. The connection, the tension, between the two of them was becoming palpable.

"On the contrary, agent Rider. Living, as I do, in a secluded mansion, I don't come across as much amusement as I would hope for. So start at the beginning... wherever it was you started at." Isabella's voice was now only slightly short of inviting. Alex only just suppressed a smirk. Sure, the constant attention of the girls from Brookland was truly annoying. And his attitude, at the moment, could be considered insolent. But that was his trademark. And he knew his fair share about seduction. He understood that lady Worthington was utterly bored in her immense mansion. He was her new toy. And, as far as he could see, that could only help him. Hmm. Perhaps the nuisance wouldn't be as much of a problem.

"If my lady insists..." Alex said, bowing his head slightly. Isabella smiled.

"I do." Isabella's smile turned into a smirk at her own words. And, though Alex's face did not change, there was a glint in his gorgeous eyes that told of their apparent unspoken understanding.

"Well, in that case..." Worthington didn't pay attention to the rest. He already knew the boy's story. What he really wanted to know was what could happen from here. After all, the young man was a legend and a coveted asset amongst both criminal and intelligence agencies alike. He needed to find out what he was doing here. He couldn't believe he had simply decided to drop out of the MI6 and join him. Yet both, the boy's story and all the intel he had received were consistent. Could it be possible for him to be telling the truth? Was he really as sick and tired of MI6, as he said to be? With his track record it seemed very possible and his skill and experience were exactly what he needed. But was he really good or mad enough to want to revenge himself on Scorpia? So what if they had killed the boy's parents? Worthington knew what Scorpia did to traitors, as did everyone in their line of "work". If Alex had survived them, back then, Worthington could only dream of what he could do for Storm.

Regarding the apparent attraction between him and his daughter he could only hope to exploit it. Maybe Rider would be the solution to all his problems. With his skills and the way he had charmed Isabella, he seemed like the perfect weapon. It would appear to be only fitting to allow Rider a little more access to Isabella than any other rookie would get. If only to keep her interested.

After breakfast, while her father was mulling over these thoughts, Isabella found herself appreciating how generous Mother Nature had been to Alex Rider. The guy was mind-blowing, that was for certain. Isabella couldn't help but allow her thoughts to wander off imagining what it would be like to be held in his arms, what his kisses would feel like, what it would be to let him- .

'_What am I thinking?!_' She didn't even know this guy! What's more, she had just seen him play with and trash 12 fully grown of her father's gorilla-men! She had seen him be shot at (and her heart had nearly beaten its way out of her chest at that one...), and shoot back, himself, with a fearsome accuracy. He was quite capable of killing, that much was painfully obvious. And yet... she had felt a tremendous sense of relief when she had seen him standing there, completely unharmed after the fight, after barely breaking a sweat. And then the sensation of his hand on her arm as he helped her up to the carriage.

She didn't like her dad's new 'business' one bit. She wanted out. Now. She had never been denied anything. Yet her father (with whom she had gone from "no daddy!" to "yes father") had been very firm on his desire for her to stay instead of escaping to her villa in the Spanish coasts. As was expected, she wasn't very happy about this. So when she met the great Alex Rider she had seen in him a beacon of hope, her one chance to get out of here.

Not to mention, he was a sight for sore eyes. After months of waking up to see her father's goons walking around the mansion, Alex was like a gulp of water in a dessert. But she couldn't and shouldn't go there. Not if she was planning on using him like she intended to.

He had skill and experience. If he could get away from Scorpia, he could get away from Storm. And if at 14 he had beaten one of the greatest terrorist organisations of the century, then he shouldn't have any trouble getting her out as well. It didn't matter what she had to do to get out. Not that she wouldn't be willing to do pretty much anything. One good look at him during the scene in the gym, the way his muscles showed off under that white t-shirt, showed that there was much to appreciate under those clothes. But she couldn't let her mind wander to how amazingly hot Alex Rider could be. She had to focus on escaping.

Once the breakfast was over, Alex was given all his things back and guided to the western wing of the main house. There he was taken to what looked like most army barracks and pointed to his own bed. The room had 5 beds, one of which was his, each with a set of drawers and a decent bathroom. This was consistently more luxurious than Brecon Beacons. He smiled: maybe he could actually enjoy this mission. He put his bag under his bed and threw himself on it. Suddenly, 4 of the men he had fought in the gym entered the room, limping and covered in bandages. Alex smirked at their dismay. This would be interesting. Slowly, as if trying not to provoke Alex, not to mention they couldn't move too much without ripping their stitches, they each sat down on their beds. Those closest to Alex scooted as far away as possible and there the 4 criminals stayed awkwardly, waiting for Alex to make the next move. He didn't. All of a sudden, the man to Alex's right burst out.

"How did you do it?!" he asked.

"Do what?" Alex replied with a lazy smirk.

"Beat us and make it look as if you were just playing with us?!" the man replied indignantly. Alex's smirk grew.

"You could blame it on a teenager's stamina, a lifetime of training, and a man's experience in dealing with armed opponents." He answered without even looking at his 'roommates'.

"Yeah, right." said the one on the far left. Alex looked at him.

"You don't believe me." He stated. It wasn't a question.

"You're... what? 17? All I'm giving you is your alleged 'teenager's stamina'."

Alex smiled. He was used to people not giving him credit.

"Well, for your information, gentlemen, I have been training for being agent all my life. I'm a black belt in various martial arts, speak 10 languages, and I've got a fair amount of skill at stealth, covert operations, stunt driving, among others, and, of course, shooting, courtesy of my time in Scorpia." The room had gone quiet but Alex didn't stop there. "Not to mention the nearly 4 years of experience in dealing with all sorts of criminals around the world." Alex was about to refrain from saying that both his dad and his uncle had been some of MI6's best operatives. But then he thought better of it. "And, of course, my dad and my uncle were 2 of MI6's best agents. My dad managed to infiltrate Scorpia and my uncle worked under-cover in the Storm Breaker case." Alex paused and then added. "So you could say it runs in the family."

The man on his left took over.

"Then why would you go from good guy to terrorist?" Alex knew this question was coming and he was ready for it.

"Because MI6 was always blackmailing me into doing their dirty work, going on dangerous missions, constantly using me, sending me to my death."

"Why Storm though?" asked the man on Alex's farthest right. "Why not betray them faster? You said something about working with Scorpia." Alex smirked. It would seem that lord W. had prompted his men to question him. How acquaint.

"I did. I went to Scorpia for a while. That's where I really learned to shoot." Understanding dawned on the men's faces as they finally paid attention to this side of the story. "But, as I said, they killed my parents so we had a bit of a conflict."

"So MI6 just took you back?!" one of them questioned incredulously.

"I played my part well. I wouldn't be where I am if I couldn't. I helped them thwart Scorpia, taking my revenge. I killed two birds with one stone. I was received with open arms and I've never been suspected of treason. I thought it best to stay on their side for the time being. I needed the training, I could gain experience. And I would acquire information on the agency fast and easy. It was the perfect solution for the time being. All I had to do was wait for the right time and the right people to help me bring them down. And now, the time has come and Storm is exactly the organisation to help me. And seeing as, in doing so, I'd be helping them, it seems that it's a win-win situation."

Years of experience in MI6 and spy blood in your veins tend to make you and excellent liar. Or, as Alex preferred to call it, actor. What ever it was, Alex managed to make his roommates take the bait and swallow his story hook, line and sinker. Although he was sure that Worthington wouldn't be completely appeased by their word, it was more a matter of keeping the proof of his loyalty coming.

"Wait a second." Said the man who had burst out first. "And then what? What will you do after MI6 is down?" he asked suspiciously.

"Stay with Storm, of course." Alex answered, looking the man straight in the eye. '_Never underestimate the power of persuasion of looking people in the eye._' Alex thought as his now 'colleagues' nodded in approval.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the manor, Maximilian Worthington pondered over what to do with Alex Rider. He had decided to let him in. He had tested the spy, given him access to his daughter, given him a room, even trusted the young agent. But there was still that nagging feeling that he was missing a piece of the puzzle. Could it be true that the boy was planning on betraying MI6, and use his position in Storm to take down MI6 _and_ Scorpia? Worthington thought Alex fully capable. And, in all honesty, this was only good news to him. So why was he still so uneasy? The answer was quite simple: the boy was unpredictable, untamed, unstoppable. Alex Rider was a wild tiger. With his expertise, his skills, his determination, his resourcefulness and seemingly never-ending luck, Rider could go against who ever he wanted and win. The boy was the very definition of a one-man army. Worthington felt like Agamemnon trying to control Achilles. An exhausting, if not impossible task. Was it wise, then, to allow the spy in? But then, how could he refuse? It would be ridiculous, not to mention dangerous. Perhaps all he needed to do was keep the young man happy, keep Alex working for him, as his pet, maybe? To subtly control him. Let the wild beast return to the master that kept him well-fed. Unleash him against Storm's enemies. Maybe even use him to lure Isabella to stay. Yes... this could work out wonderfully.

But he couldn't start now. No, this would draw attention from his soldiers and put Alex on alert. No, he would have to progress slowly, each time giving in a bit more. He would keep the young spy at their table, as he had done today, strengthening the bond between Isabella and Rider, giving him, each day, a new, small, benefit. Get him accustomed to being above the rest. Keep him happy. Keeping Isabella happy, too.

Ever since Worthington had started Storm, his little Bella had started shutting down, becoming sulkier, duller, more of a ghost. The light, that glint of happiness and joy, had left her eyes, long ago, no more laughter, no more smiles. Not even a smirk. Today, however, she had shown more emotion than ever. She had exuded her old confidence, her interest had been spiked by Alex Rider. She was back. And all thanks to young Rider.

It was decided. The young spy would stay, be would be given perks, and he would rid Storm of all competition. Alex would be allowed his revenge and he would in turn keep his Bella happy. Oh, this would be perfect. Maybe, with time, Alex could inherit Storm, and maybe that would convince Bella to stay close by. Yes, this was going to work.

Bored, and wanting to do a bit of recon, Alex jumped out of bed around midday, after a refreshing nap. His roommates where knocked out by the painkillers so he needn't worry about them. He stuffed his jacket into his bag, grabbed his army issue Swiss knife, stuffed it into his jean pocket, left his Walter with his jacket, and got out of the room.

Alex didn't know where he was going, or where he would end up. He just wanted to get his bearings straight. He started walking down the hall. He had been told that the entirety of the west wing was made up of dormitories for their master's best soldiers. There were barracks further away, for the greater bulk of the guards. With this knowledge, Alex took off to find the east wing, where he suspected would be the quarters for the master and young mistress of the house.

After a few turns, he arrived back at the entry hall and the grand staircase. He went right across the corridor directly in front of the stairs, and onto the east wing. The area was decidedly more luxurious. The carpet was finer, there were paintings on the walls, the decorations in general were more elegant. He saw a few maids coming out of a pair of double doors. Unaware as to whether or not he was allowed to be in this part of the mansion, Alex swiftly moved into the closest room available. Fortunately, one of the double doors, (which appeared to be everywhere on this side of the house) wasn't locked, and he backed into it, and shut the door. At a gasp from behind, he turned around, his hand already around his pocket knife.

"Are you lost, Mr. Rider?"

At that moment, Alex had the mad desire to say yes. To let her guide him. Where? He had no idea. He mentally slapped himself for the slip of composure and turned to talk to the robe-clad Isabella.

"Not exactly, milady." Isabella lifted an eyebrow. She was very interested as to why he had suddenly backed into her room. He couldn't've known this was her room. Gods, he really was a sight for sore eyes. "And, please, forgive the intrusion."

"No need. Now, what are you doing in my room?" she asked, with a small smirk. She moved over to her bed, where her dress was laid out. "Do you mind?" Alex was about to say no, but he obediently turned around. He really needed to get a hold of himself.

"I was merely exploring the house, milady, to get familiar with the lay out and get my bearings right. Then I saw some maids going out of the room next door and I was not sure as to whether or not I was allowed into this wing, so my first reaction was to hide. Admittedly, the action failed its purpose. I was discovered."

Isabella was getting goose-bumps at the sound of his voice. It was so rich, so deep, like a soft rumble. Worthy of its owner. And the delicate invitation was turning her knees to jelly. Pulling her dress on, she started walking over to him.

"Well, I don't see the harm in your actions so we could keep this little visit a secret. What daddy doesn't know won't hurt him..." Alex turned at the closeness of her voice to find her standing practically right in front of him. She really was beautiful. The mischievous glint in her eyes (he was sure that, on their first encounter, that glint wasn't there) was very enticing, her smirk had a seductive edge to it, and her whole body simply radiated a certain glow, hinting at her current amusement. She was breath-taking. Alex smirked widely. This really was a mission he was going to enjoy.

"Thank you, milady." He said, bowing slightly, his eyes never wavering from hers. "Is there _anything_ I could do for you?" Isabella nearly shivered at the way he stressed on 'anything'.

"Well, you could go down to the stables and tell someone to get my horse ready, maybe even one for yourself. Do you ride, Mr. Rider?" Alex smirked.

"I do, milady, I –" Alex shut up at the sound of footsteps down the corridor. Isabella caught on and pushed him into her huge, walk-in closet. Then she ran for her bed and, with one hand, pulled off her dress, while the other pulled on her robe. Moments later, there was a knock on the door and her father peaked in around the door.

"Bella? May I come in?" Isabella faked a small jump and pulled her robe more securely around herself.

"Not now, papa, I'm getting changed to go riding!" her father pulled the door close, looked apologetic.

"Excellent, I was about to go riding myself. I'll wait for you down at the stables, shall I?"

"Yes papa, I'll be right down!" Isabella's heart beat began to slow down as the footsteps got more distant. As Alex walked out of the closet, she breathed out in relief.

"Well, that was interesting..." Alex said, sarcastically. Isabella turned on him, stalking across the room until she could jab her finger into his hard chest.

"Do you have any idea what would've happened had my father seen you here?!" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Trouble?" Isabella sighed. His sarcasm was apparently endless.

"Tons." She forced out. Her throat felt constricted at his proximity. He stood at least a head higher than her. Not to mention his body was close enough for her to be able to feel his breath on her neck.

"Milady, trouble is my middle-name..." he whispered. She unconsciously closed her eyes.

"Isabella." She whispered back. He smiled, slightly confused. "Say my name." Alex smirked and leaned down to her ear.

"Isabella." She sucked in a gasp of breath and he smelled the perfume of her hair. Never had a girl overpowered him so completely. "Bella?"

"Yes?" she breathed out.

"Your father is waiting..."

Isabella's eyes flew open as she pushed past him and into her closet. Suddenly, she turned around, grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into the closet with her. Alex chuckled in amusement.

"There is a tunnel, for my own use, behind one of these walls. Not even my father knows about this. I had to bribe the architect for it, and I've never used it before. But it was apparently worth it." She added with a smirk. Alex smirked back and her legs nearly failed her. "It comes out behind the bottom of the main stairs if you turn left. If you turn right, you'll come out behind the hedge along a wall on the back side of the house." She said hurriedly pushing him into the opening on the wall behind what looked like a couple of hundred ball gowns. Alex grabbed her hand daringly and brought it to his lips. Again, her eyes closed in bliss. When she re-opened them, he winked and closed the wall behind him. Isabella sighed. Oh, she was going to love the months to come...

A/N: that's about 4000 words so don't complain. Please excuse any incoherences with the structure of the house but I'm a writer, not an architect. And now, I want reviews people! I want to know if it's going too fast, if it's going too slow, or if it's going at all. And as Alex needs at least some time to gain Worthington's trust, I'll be skipping at least a month the next chapter. R&R!!!


	9. At the beach

CHAPTER 9: "At the beach"

"Hello papa! Morning Mr. Rider." Isabella swept down to kiss her father's cheek, while he sat at the head of the breakfast table. Alex had immediately stood up, as he usually did when either of the Worthingtons came into the room.

"Hello, my love." said Worthington.

"Good morning, milady."

This morning she was dressed to go riding, with chocolate brown trousers, a creamy camisole and dark brown riding boots. She looked over at Alex, his smouldering eyes making her burn even this early in the morning. He bowed his head respectfully and waited for her to take her place before sitting back down himself. Once settled, Isabella grabbed the jug of juice and poured herself some.

"Planning on going riding, I see." Isabella smiled at her father.

"Yes, papa. It's been a few days and the weather today looks perfect. I plan on going down to the beach, as we usually do. I should be back by mid-day." Alex looked at her, hiding a smirk. She looked at him, briefly, and then looked away, trying not to smile. Knowing, as Alex did that, Worthington would be busy this morning, and that Isabella never went riding without an escort, he would probably be sent with her. As she had most likely intended…

"Well, Bella, unfortunately I won't be going with you today, I have work to do. Alex, please go with her. You know I don't like my daughter out alone."

It had already been slightly over 3 month since Alex had arrived into Storm and he had climbed quickly to the top of this food chain. During this time, he had been sent on a few '_errands_' around the world. Wherever he went, he led the team. The missions had not failed once. Worthington was very pleased. Alex was his most trusted operative now.

The young agent was everything Worthington looked for, in a soldier: skilled, resourceful, creative, lethal. Most importantly, only he was entrusted with Isabella's safety. An arrangement with which all three involved parties were extremely comfortable. Though always maintaining the required limits because of they're positions, Alex and Isabella's relationship had evolved into what they had both expected. A flirtatious friendship. Always dancing around the line dividing mistress and soldier from… something else. Something more.

Alex bowed his head in submission.

"Of course, milord." Immediately, he turned to one of the servants and ordered him to go to the stables and prepare their horses.

"Alex, I have recently received some, rather… upsetting information, so if you could come by my office after lunch." As laughable as Alex found the fact that his daughter's whims always came first, Alex was very aware of how Worthington never seemed to directly order him to do anything. It was amusing. The rest of his soldiers were pawns he moved with a wave of his hand. But not Alex. Everyone in and out of the house knew that Alex Rider was to be respected. He was, after all, the second in command. His clothes were as fine as the ones owned by Worthington and his daughter, he had been moved to a dormitory directly across from Isabella's, and the only one he had to answer to was Worthington himself.

After breakfast, Alex was standing beside the door to Isabella's room. Alex didn't know why she had to take so long, seeing as she had been apparently ready before breakfast. But, lady Worthington was not to be questioned. Suddenly, the door opened and out came the aforementioned lady, looking spectacular as always. Alex offered her his arm, she took hold of it and with identical accomplice smirks they set off for the stables, which were to be found about 100 metres from the manor.

"So," Alex said, helping Isabella onto her beautiful Arabian mare, Ebony, "to the beach?"

Isabella smiled, nodding. Glancing sideways, appreciating the sight Alex made while getting onto his caramel Arabian stallion, Desert, she spurred Ebony on, heading off towards the beach.

Alex loved his horse. He had his share of experience at horse-back riding, but he had never had an actual horse. And Arabian horses were some of the best in the world, if not the best. He knew he was going to miss Desert when he left. '_Actually, maybe I'll be able to, at least, de-frost Alan's heart into letting me keep it..._'

Lost in his thoughts, Alex followed Isabella down onto the beach.

Isabella loved this beach. The view of the water and the open seas was breath-taking, the warmth of the sun was bearable with the blowing wind and the slight shade provided by the palm trees. Maybe today her father would allow her to dive in. She knew they had a pool. And a huge one at that, but she preferred the sea.

They rode in silence for a while, loosing track of time, each one in their own world. Before they knew it, it was midday. And the abrasive heat of the day blazed down upon them. Isabella started galloping in the shallow waters, trying to refresh herself and Ebony. Alex, however, had another idea. Figuring it was no use to sweat through a perfectly clean shirt, he pulled off his and stuffed it into the pouch hanging from the saddle. '_There, much better!_' he thought, feeling the little wind there was on his bare skin. He pushed Desert into a light jog on the edge of the water, falling back into pace with Isabella who had finally settled into a lighter pace after being splashed with sea water. Alex thought she looked radiant, every droplet on her skin catching the sunlight and making her, literally, glow.

"Should we ret-turn... " Isabella's question was lost in her stuttering. How could she have missed the moment when he took of his shirt was beyond her. She couldn't care less if she was blatantly staring. Alex Rider was H-O-T!! '_Sweet Mother of Jesus, this man's gorgeous!_' Disregarding how obvious it was, she took the time to count. '_Dear Lord, that's the best eight-pack ever!_' Trying to keep her breathing steady, she turned to look at the sea. She needed to get a grip of her hormones.

Alex, on the other hand, was having a blast. He knew he was attractive (1). And he kinda suffered for it back at Brookland, but obviously he wasn't about to complain when Isabella Worthington stared at him. So, taking a small risk and tempting Isabella's patience, Alex waited for her to turn back to him and raised his arms and stretched out, flexing every muscle in his upper torso.

Isabella was entranced to say the least. The rippling of muscles, the perfect sun-kissed skin on his chest, the gorgeous smirk, and the mischievous glint in his eyes nearly made her drool. This was war!

"A-Alex?" Alex turned to stare straight into her eyes.

"Yes?"

"Did you bring anything on you?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Not in my pockets." Isabella smirked.

"Good." And without further ado, catching him surprisingly off guard, she spooked his horse into throwing him off. With a splash, Alex found himself completely soaked.

Isabella's gloating lasted very little however. Because even if Alex was now dripping wet, he looked hot as ever. Isabella's eyes followed a drop of water trail from his collar bone, down his chiselled chest, his amazingly defined abs, all the way down to the border of his jeans. She gulped.

"Couldn't you have, at least, warned me to take my shoes off?" shaking out of her reverie, Isabella looked at Alex's face. He was pouting shamelessly, one hand fiddling with his belt while the other buried into his golden hair. She wondered at how she was allowing him to keep his pants on...

"No." Alex smirked inwardly. In the nearly 4 months since they had met, Isabella always had a good comeback for whatever he sent her way. And now, she was reduced to monosyllables. It was amusing, to say the least. He walked over to her, looking up into her eyes, while she was still astride Ebony. What little she had gotten wet while running with her horse across the water was now dry. '_Maybe she should freshen up too... So now, how do I get her feet out of the stirrups...? _'

Without a warning, Alex jumped on Ebony, behind Isabella and snaked an arm around her slim waist.

"Y-You're g-getting me all wet!" Alex chuckled lowly in her ear and she realised the double meaning to her words. Groaning, she realised the truth wasn't far from it (2). Surreptitiously, Alex hooked his legs around hers and pulled them out of the stirrups.

"Fine." And he jumped off the horse.

"Where's the catch?" Isabella's brain wasn't working to full capacity, but she could tell Alex was up to something.

"Right here." Alex smirked and pulled her off her horse and into his arms. Bella shrieked, then bumped into his hard chest. She tried to look anywhere but him. Alex, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off her. Her hair was flying with the wind, her eyes were shining with excitement, her cinnamon skin was smooth and soft, her body moulded perfectly to his. They fit together so... perfectly.

Alex mentally slapped AND kicked himself for those thoughts. This wasn't part of the plan. '_Ok, now what?_' He could either pull away now, or, he could milk this feeling for all it was worth. Pulling away would be no good so he decided to exploit whatever was going on between them. Only then did he realise he still had Isabella in his arms and that she was waiting for him to do something. Feeling the water up to his thighs, and judging it safe to drop her here, he let go. With another shriek, Lady Isabella Worthington was plunged into the sea.

She surfaced sputtering sea water and cursing Alex to the depths of hell. He held out his hand and felt Isabella trying to pull him down. Humouring her (or not), he fell down. On top of her. He stood back up, laughing his gorgeous ass off, pulling up a cursing Isabella with him. Her stability questionable at the moment, she fell against his bare chest, both completely soaked. Slowly, Isabella looked up at Alex, and nearly lost herself in his eyes. His bottomless chocolate brown eyes. A chocolate as edible as the rest of him. Suddenly she felt him tense and look up towards the thick line of palm trees further down to the west, leading away from the mansion.

Alex's sixth sense made him look up and he caught the merest glint of metal amongst the foliage of the small thick of trees a way down from where they were standing. Luckily the mansion was on the opposite direction. Not thinking twice, Alex swooped down and lifted Isabella easily from the ground, running over to where their obedient horses were. Holding her behind him, he pulled out his Walter and shot 10 rounds towards the spot where he had seen the glint of metal. Not waiting another second, he sat Isabella on Ebony, jumped on Desert and slapped both horses into a fast run towards the house. His job was to protect Isabella. The investigation came later. So long as she was in any possible danger, he was not to do anything but get her out of it.

Once they reached the line of palms, soldiers came running out to meet them.

"You four go down towards the west and see what you can find. Do NOT come back empty-handed. If you so much as see a leaf out of place, you tell me. The other six of you look out for any new signs of metal coming out of those trees while you follow us back to the manor. My lady, I want you to ride as fast as you can towards the house, avoid trees, walls, even garden gnomes. Just get to the house. MOVE people!"

Isabella had never seen Alex act so commanding. She didn't even know what had happened! Regardless, she did as she was told, Alex right behind her. He had a look in his eyes that said he was not to be questioned at the moment. So much for going swimming today...

Once they arrived at the back door of the house, Alex helped Isabella off her horse and rapidly guided her into the house. Isabella wanted to sit down and talk or even ask for a glass of juice but Alex didn't stop until they were safely inside her room. Isabella's room was built like a fortress. Even the windows were bullet-proof. Alex radioed his three best men, needing to go down to talk to Worthington, yet not wanting to leave Isabella alone.

"Okay, _now_ can you tell me what the _hell_ happened?!" Alex turned around to see an irate Isabella.

"Someone was pointing a gun at you." Isabella did a double-take.

"Who? Did you see them?" Alex shook his head.

"No." Bella huffed.

"Did you see the gun?" again Alex shook his head. "Well what _did_ you see?!"

"The glint of a gun amongst the supposed non-metal foliage." Bella stared at him. Suddenly she realised he was shirtless in her room. She shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts.

"Th-that's it?" Alex shook his head again.

"I sensed it. And my gut feelings are always right. If you don't trust my eye-sight you can trust my gut." Isabella wanted to kick him for being so calm. Someone had been trying to kill her, he had just emptied a whole magazine on the aforementioned possible killer, put the entire house on high alert, and all he had based that on was a trick of light and a gut feeling?! "Isabella, your father wouldn't have placed your security solely in my hands if I wasn't that good, don't you think?"

Isabella blinked. Had she really said all that out loud?

"Yes, you did. And the question is written on your face." He added as she opened her mouth in wonder.

Suddenly the doors where thrown open and Maximilian Worthington came striding into the room, running to his daughter and hugging her. Without releasing her, he turned to Alex.

"What happened?"

"A possible assassination attempt." Isabella stomped her feet and pulled away from her father.

"What he means is that all he's guiding himself by, to think that someone wanted to kill me, is a trick of light and a bad stomach ache!" she whined loudly, playing every bit the spoiled child.

"My lady, I assure you, that '_bad stomach ache_' has saved my life more times than I care to count." Alex said calmly. He turned back to Worthington. "I saw a glint of metal hiding among the trees, more than likely a gun where there should be nothing but leaves. I could nearly feel the eye of someone on both of us. My gut was telling me that we were in danger. That is the '_bad stomach ache_' milady is referring to." Worthington nodded. "I am currently waiting for some of the men that were guarding the limits of the house to come back. I sent them to see if there was anything they could find."

No sooner had Alex finished the sentence, than a soldier came rushing in and whispered to him they had found the would-be-shooter. He was being held in the gym. Alex nodded and sent him to fetch Worthington's carriage (a less fairytale and more elegant version of Isabella's).

"My lord, they have found someone. They wait for us at the gym. Terrance." He called for one of this favoured three. "You are to guard the entrance of this room with your lives. Place men at the base of this wall, I don't want anyone anywhere near those windows. No one but my self and lord Worthington are to be allowed in. Clear?" Terrance nodded, and followed both men out. "My lady, if you please, don't leave your room." And with that, Alex closed the door behind him.

"She will not like being locked up."

"But it is preferable to not knowing where in this huge house she is." Worthington nodded. "My lord, what was it that you wished to tell me? You mentioned something at breakfast."

"Ah, yes. And, what with this new development, they are more than likely connected. My men have detected an increase in Scorpia's activities in the surrounding areas. Much to near Alexandria for my liking." Alex nodded.

"Well, I'll wager that we're about to learn what's behind this... _increased activity_."

The ride to the gym was silent. Each one of them was lost in their own thoughts. Worthington was trying to make sense of these sudden attacks. He knew Scorpia was aware of the nuclear warheads he had recently acquired. He thought that would keep them at bay. Alex was wondering if these attacks signalled the beginning of the end of this mission. After all, he was not to mess with Scorpia. This time around. He needed to get in contact with the MI6, and soon. He needed to plan how on earth they were going to pull him AND Isabella out of Worthington's fortified bay.

By the time they arrived at the gym, they got off the carriage, shaking themselves out of their thoughts. There, in the middle of the gym was a beaten, battered and bloody man, tied down and kneeling. Alex got there first and ripped off the man's left sleeve. There, on his upper arm was a scorpion tattoo. That was enough proof.

"What were you sent to do?" the man attempted a smirk.

"Alex Rider. My superiors were right, then." Alex crouched down till he was at eye-level with the scorpion.

"Who was your target?" he growled. The man winced, well versed in the ways of any Scorpia operative to obtain information. He would be killed any way, his superiors had made sure of that. The pain, though, was not something he had signed up for.

"What does it matter?" Alex stared at the man, awaiting a more elaborate answer. "There isn't much time left..." this time, the scorpion achieved the smirk though it wavered at the death glare Alex was sending him. Alex stood up, took off his belt and curled it around his hand, bulking up his fist. Swiftly checking for the bloodiest spots, he hit the scorpion's wounded shoulder. The man screamed as if his life depended on it. Worthington's soldiers winced visibly.

"Where's the bomb?" all around Alex, the looks of utter alarm and disbelief accompanied the scorpion's laugh.

"You really think I'm telling? We're all dead anyway!" Alex punched the man again, and, not waiting for the scream, grabbed the man's collar and growled in his face.

"Perhaps, but you forget the difference between a swift and painless death... and the pain of being torn limb from limb for answers..." The threat was enough to trigger the scorpion's deepest fear. Anyone in the spying and terror business knew that, even though Alex would hold back when dealing with criminals, scorpions were showed absolutely no mercy. This was no empty threat.

"Fine, you want the bomb, you'll get the bomb." The assassin started taking shallower, faster breaths, as if he had just run a marathon. Alex stared for a moment. Still crouched, he checked the man's pulse. Scorpions were trained to maintain a minimal heartbeat even in the most dangerous and life-threatening situations. This man's heart was going a hundred miles an hour. Something wasn't right. "_Adrenaline._" Alex thought. Adrenaline-triggered bombs were in full "fashion" amongst the lowlife crime lords nowadays. The fastest way to get rid of cowards in the field and protect their organisation's secrets. If the enemy didn't catch up, it was a lethal tactic. Fortunately, there was a very easy solution. All this flashed through Alex's head in a matter of seconds. He stood up like lightning, pulled out his gun and shot the scorpion through the heart.

"You, bring a motorbike. You, help me take this son of a bitch out. Now." as ordered, the soldier left in a hurry, and the bike's engine was immediately heard. Between Alex and the second soldier, the brought the man outside, strapped him to the bike, then Alex got on and headed for the beach at full speed.

Once they crossed the line of palms, Alex headed further west, dropped the body, then headed back to the gym. If that corpse didn't blow up till tomorrow, it would be safe to pick it up.

And now, to check upon Lady Worthington. Oh boy, that was going to be a hell of a tantrum.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO KEEP ME LOCKED UP LIKE **THAT**?!"

Isabella's screams could be heard all over the house. Alex was developing a serious headache and Lord Worthington was beginning to despair. His baby girl was nearly assassinated and now, here she was, screaming her head off over being kept safe.

"Bella, please, we needed to make sure you were safe, we – "

"I DON'T CARE! YOU COULD'VE AT LEAST TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT! BUT NO! ME? A GIRL? I HAVE NO APPARENT BUSINESS BEING INFORMED OF _**ANYTHING**_!!"

'_Alright, that's enough!_' Alex thought.

"Milord, could you please allow me?" Worthington nodded gratefully. He never knew how to deal with his daughter's fiery temper. And so, he swiftly exited. Once alone, Alex strode over to Isabella, who was about to start screaming again.

"HOW COULD YOU – "

Alex turned her around, pressed her back to his chest and covered her mouth with his hand.

"I need you to stop screaming. You want to know stuff, ask. But cut it out with the girly tantrum because we both know that's just a facade. So calm down and ask your questions like a normal human being. Keep your voice down. If no one realises you're asking me these things, I can answer them. Your father would have my head on a spear because he thinks you're too innocent for such information. I don't. But you have to do this _my_ way." He whispered angrily into her ear.

Isabella shivered against him but she was beyond caring. She had never told Alex that her spoiled-brat-attitude was just an act. But then again, he had never treated her like a spoiled brat. He must have seen through it from the first time. How many other things did he know about her? Apparently, he hadn't told her father any of them, for he still treated her same as always. Yes, this man could keep a secret alright. She relaxed against him. She was tired. Of the day, of being locked up, of being over-protected, and of lying to Alex.

Alex noticed she stopped fighting and let her go. But she just turned around and threw her arms around his neck. Alex smiled and held her tight against him. She burrowed her face into his neck and let the feeling sink in. She had never felt safer.

"What's going on?" she whispered. Alex sighed.

"W-Storm is going through its first crisis." To say Isabella was puzzled was an understatement.

"What do you mean?"

"Scorpia's out for blood. Their reputation has suffered since I came into the business and now your father is trying to "over-throw" them." He said with a small smile.

Bella sighed in turn.

"How am I supposed to deal with this?" she asked, pulling away to look at him. He smiled a sad smile.

"You're not. I doubt your father ever thought you would ever get caught up in this. And now you have, he has no idea how to deal with it. Scorpia is not to be trifled with. We both know. Hell, we _all_, know it. Your father just doesn't know how to explain that."

"You don't seem too worried." Isabella said softly. Alex chuckled as softly.

"I don't feel I have much to worry about. My personal war with Scorpia is something I'll be carrying for as long as I live. And I'm prepared to do so. Now, I'm just fighting that war along somebody else." Isabella frowned at such a light-hearted answer.

"But where does that leave me?" she asked, looking into the depths of Alex's eyes. They always made her feel calm. This time, Alex smiled, the usual mischief washing back over his features.

"I think it's time you asked your father to send to back to Spain again." Isabella brightened up.

"And how do you propose we do that?" she smirked at him. Alex cocked an eyebrow.

"We?" Bella laughed softly and mischievously.

"Oh, you'd be coming with me. There is no way that my father would allow me to travel alone after today..." she said with a seductive pout. Alex chuckled lowly, leaning in until he could whisper against her neck.

"You mean, you and me in your villa on the Spanish coasts?" Bella nodded, slightly dazed. "Alone?" lady Worthington shivered in delight, nodding. She held back a whimper as Alex pulled back with a very sexy smirk across his handsome features. It didn't last long though, for Alex turned her towards the door and leaned to her ear. "Lead the way."

**A/N:** I know! I know! I've been gone for a while and I owe my beloved readers an apology. Please forgive the delay. Blame it entirely on my IB exams. They can seriously drain a person of all energy and brain power. But now I'm rested and back. So, I'm going to heat things up a bit, as shown above and ... I hope you all like it! Again R&R, my self esteem depends upon it! We are nearing the end of the mission, as is hinted, but we still have a few chapters to go, so fear not. Thanks to everyone who has ever read the story, and further thanks to those who continue to read it! Love you all!!!! I'll be back with more, no later than the start of next week.

(1) Understatement of the century, but nobody likes arrogant men! Not too arrogant in any case...

(2) I dare anyone not to!


	10. The Beginning Of the End

CHAPTER 10: "The Beginning of the End"

Alex came out of the shower, a towel around his hips, thinking about the talk ahead. Isabella had decided that it would be better to talk her father into letting her leave during dinner. And so, here he was, dressing up for what could easily be one of the last dinners he would have in this house.

Looking up at the clock he realised he was about 40 minutes early and decided that it was time to call MI6. He sat down on his bed, pulled out the laptop and started the connection to headquarters. It was around 6 pm in London, and the grey Head of Operations was calmly sitting at his desk.

"Hello Alan." Alex whispered through the headset. Blunt immediately turned to the computer.

"Alex! You could blow your cover!" Alex chuckled.

"I'm covered." Blunt frowned.

"There could be cameras."

"I've got my own room. As a second in command, I have certain privileges. Complete trust, my own quarters, no surveillance... Oh, and a magnificent Arabian stallion." Alex said with his characteristic smirk. His laugh threatened to ring throughout the room as he saw the incredulous look on Alan Blunt's face.

"Well..." Blunt said, clearing his throat. "I suppose I should've expected this of you." Alex laughed.

"Yes, you should've. Now, on to business: I've got Worthington exactly where we want him. All I need is his permission to pull his daughter out of this complex and the mission will be over." Alan's puzzled look made Alex chuckle.

"His _daughter_?!"

"His only weakness. 17-year-old Isabella Marie Worthington is the only thing Worthington would die for."

Blunt nodded.

"Good. And she will follow her father's wishes I suppose." Alex smirked.

"Not necessarily. But she will follow my suggestions. Not to mention she's been dying to leave this place for quite some time." Alan cocked an eyebrow. "She's rebellious like that."

"I take it you've become quite familiar with her..." Blunt's remark was met with Alex's grimace.

"Alan, do you doubt my professionalism?" Blunt smirked.

"No. Just your way with women, 00-juniour."

"Ha, ha, ha. Hilarious, Alan, I think I might just crack a rib." Alex said with a bored look. He knew Alan wouldn't understand, so he left his personal attachment to Lady Worthington out of the conversation and tried to be as cold as possible."The important thing is that I have them both eating out of my hand. Now, I don't have much time left, dinner's in a few, and I've still got to get dressed." At this point, Blunt stared at him, not knowing whether to smirk or to groan. Sometimes even Blunt himself couldn't believe how effective Alex was at this job. "Alright, it's not so much IF Worthington gives his permission for Isabella to leave. It's more of a WHEN. The plan is for her, and me, to go to her Spanish villa. What we need to do now, is find a way for one of our choppers to infiltrate this bay, and pick lady Worthington up, under the pretence of being the ones to take her to Spain."

"It can be done. But are you certain?" Alex waved him off.

"I'll confirm the plan is in motion tonight at midnight. _My_ midnight, Alan." Alex added, exasperatedly. "Can you arrange for K-unit to be on stand-by for the rest of the week?" Blunt nodded quickly. Suddenly, Alex heard steps. "Alan, I need to go. Have them ready. I'll confirm tonight." And with that, and a mock salute, he shut the laptop and put it away. He looked at the clock and, seeing as he had 30 more minutes went over to his drawers.

He began unravelling the towel, still hanging off his hips, when he heard his door open.

"Oh!" a feminine gasp made him freeze. And chuckle. He was slightly thankful of having his drawers face _away_ from his door.

"My lady?" _'Your lady is currently having thought processing problems. Please try putting on some clothes so that she can think straight again.'_ she thought, looking at his muscular back. YUM. She shook her head.

"Alex, I'm so sorry, I should've knocked." Alex chuckled again.

"And yet, here you are." He said, wrapping the towel back around him. "What can I do for you?" he added in mock formalities, turning around. She looked beautiful in an airy, light gold dress.

"Oh hush..." Isabella had had every intention of saying something more but seeing Alex, facing her, in nothing more than a towel was making it slightly difficult for her to speak. Make that think.

"Bella?" she looked up to his face, as he walked up to her.

"Yes?" he smirked, reaching up and rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"You were saying something?" the puzzled look on her face was adorable.

"OH! Yes! Yes. I was just wondering what we should say." Alex nodded in understanding, as she placed her hands lightly on his upper arms, his hands snaking down to her waist.

"Perhaps you should let me do the talking." She nodded, still looking a bit dazed. "Can I dress now?" _'No, you can't.'_ Was her first thought. She shook her head again.

"Yes, yes, of course. Please excuse me." Alex nodded at her and saw her leave the room. He let out a heavy sigh. This was it. This was the moment he had been waiting for. And he hated it. He should've known that the moment either he or Isabella took their... thing any further, his mission would go and screw things up. And now, he would have to crush all trust she had in him.

Alex adjusted his black shirt, stuffed his hand into the pockets of his black slacks and entered the dinning hall. Isabella was already sitting to her father's left. Alex bowed low to Lord Worthington and his daughter then proceeded to take his seat to Worthington's left. The first course passed pleasantly enough, none of them wanting to go into the subject of Scorpia's attack earlier. By the time, though, that the dessert was due in, Alex couldn't take another second of these forced pleasantries.

"My lord?" the serious edge in his voice made the smile on Worthington's face drop.

"Yes, I suppose it is about time we address the issue at hand."

"Perhaps I may propose an idea that will, at least, sooth your fears, my lord."

"What sort of idea?"

"My lord, you have been very clever, hiding your past life. Nobody, except for the three of us here knows about the secluded villa on the Spanish coasts. I know you fear for lady Worthington's safety. Perhaps... perhaps you would allow me to escort her to your villa. At least until this threat blows over."

Alex had been particularly careful with each word that had left his mouth. It was of the utmost importance that Worthington believed in his absolute devotion to his daughter, his cause and the crime lord himself.

Worthington nodded at the suggestion, sighing heavily, suddenly feeling like an old man. He saw the logic in Alex's argument and though he himself had thought of sending Bella away, he could not bring himself to part with his beautiful daughter.

"Much as I hate to admit it, I believe you're right." Isabella was about to burst with excitement at the news. "How soon can you leave?"

"I think tomorrow night would be soon enough." Worthington nodded.

"Very well then. You will escort Isabella to Spain tomorrow night. Now, let us enjoy our last dinner together." Alex bowed his head and stared into his dessert for the rest of the meal.

"Alan?" Alex was searching for movement within the office. No one appeared to be there. He switched views to Mrs. Jones' office.

"Tulip?" that did the trick.

"Alexander!" Alex chuckled at the reprimand.

"I'm sorry, but I was looking for Alan and I couldn't find him in his office. Hence I turned to you. And you always answer to that name." Mrs. Jones harrumphed slightly but recovered her composure soon enough.

"What is it? You're supposed to be on a mission!"

"I am. It's now after dinner and my leisure time. Unless there's an emergency, no one will dare bother me." In that moment, Alan walked into the office.

"And?"

"And, I'm _good_. In fact, I'm _great_: tomorrow evening her ladyship and I will fly out to Spain." Alan smirked. Or what was a smirk by his standards.

"And we shall be there waiting. K-Unit has already been informed. I shall issue an immediate order for them to be deployed near your coordinates tonight. We must be sure. Can you meet them at the edge of the estate and infiltrate them?" Alex nodded.

"Easily done. I shall grab some uniforms and set out for the beach tomorrow morning. I won't be able to communicate any further so everything _must_ be in place tonight." Alan's famous eyebrow shot up.

"Alex, we've been doing this for _some_ time. We understand the need for every operation to be perfectly coordinated. K-Unit will arrive at 0400 hours and you shall keep them hidden until then."

"All right. I could hide them in the stables. Nobody pays much attention to the stable boys. Or the maintenance staff." Alan nodded in agreement.

"Very well then, it shall be done immediately. How – ?" Alan was interrupted by Alex raising his hand. A small bang had come from the front yard.

"Alan, I'll call you again in one hour. I need to go check something out."

"Be careful, Alex. Good luck!" Mrs. Jones managed to say before the communication was severed.

"What the – ?" Not waiting for any other signs of infiltration, Alex threw on a pair of army-issue trousers and a tight black t-shirt, combat boots and holstered his gun to his thigh. Grabbing his Swiss knife, his pen, his Rolex and the corresponding bag of explosives and thrusting his ear piece in, he walked out of his room and headed straight for Worthington's. He didn't bother to knock.

"My lord."

"Alex, you heard it too?" Alex didn't wait for the next word. He grabbed Worthington and pulled him out, dragged him over to Isabella's room and pulled them both in.

"Father?!" Isabella was about to launch herself into a tirade against the abuse of her privacy but Alex lunged for her and, jumping on the bed, covered her mouth with his hand.

"Milady, I need you to be really quiet. I have reason to believe that there are intruders in the mansion." Isabella's eyes widened almost comically, and Alex turned to Worthington. "My lord, I want you to stay here. This is the strongest room in the entire house, you shall be safe within it. I will have some men outside the door within moments. Please wait with your daughter while I go and investigate." Pressing the ear piece, he called for 15 of his men to come up to the room. Once there, he left 2 outside the room, 8 on the inside, and he set off himself with the remaining 5 to investigate. The rest of the guards where already up and ready in the entrance hall.

"What happened?!" Terrance walked up to him, looking slightly scared at Alex's countenance.

"Intruders. They've been caught on camera, but we don't know who they are or why they're here." Alex growled in annoyance, making the man jump back and fall silent.

"Then go and get me one of them. We can't go out blind-folded. Get me all the security footage and I want those motion sensors back on NOW!" Terrance himself went to the video surveillance room while two others went off to activate the motion sensors. "In the mean time, I want you all on the highest alert. I don't care if it's late, I want you all standing guard at your allotted places and if one of you allows any of those men to get into this house, I will deal with the idiot myself." The guards disbanded after a determined 'Yes sir!' They were far more scared of anything Alex could do to them than of anything those intruders could dish out. Especially after seeing him deal with that scorpion earlier. That handled, Alex and the 5 men he had taken with him went to the surveillance room to review the footage. "Terrance, tell me you have something."

"I do." He zoomed into the image of about 40 or 50 men being deployed from an unmarked helicopter. On their chests could be seen the feared logo: a blood-red scorpion. Alex growled again, then turned back to his men.

"You, go get me a sniper rifle, two hand guns, a pair of standard issue knives and as much ammo as you can find. Terrance, I hereby order you all to not engage any of them. If you see one, you tell me over the ear piece and I pick him out with the rifle. But none of you have the training to taken on a scorpion in hand-to-hand combat. I don't need any heroes dying tonight."

"Yes sir. I'll tell the men to keep their eyes open and their guns still." Alex nodded. In that moment, the soldier he had sent out arrived with all his specifications and, thoughtfully, extra holsters. He pulled on the torso-gun-holster and locked them in. Then, he stuffed his pockets with ammo. Finally, he strapped the knives to his calves. At that moment, they heard shots being fired near the main entrance.

"Fuck." Alex headed towards the door, but turned to look at the men he was leaving behind. "Guard this room with your life. Don't make a sound. Do not go out, no matter what. You are going to be my eyes and ears. I need you guys alive." That said, he pulled out one of his guns and pulled the door open, gun at the ready. Confirming the corridor was clear and hanging the rifle across his chest, he set off for the entrance of the house.

At his arrival, he was greeted with an infuriating view. Four men were down, sprawled on the floor and bleeding slightly from head wounds. Very much dead. He cursed under his breath. He didn't need dead people right now. The security was going to be air tight tomorrow. How in the world was he going to get K-unit in with 4 dead soldiers? The strode back to the second floor, turning the matter around in his head. The proverbial light-bulb blazed on: he would go to Alexandria, pick up 4 new guys for a delivery to Spain and take them as guards. As they had done with him. After all, all he needed were men to pilot the chopper. He needed to tell Alan all this before 4 this morning. But first, he needed to deal with their unwanted guests.

"Sir." His ear-piece buzzed to life. "There are about 5 scorpions under the staircase, right below you."

"Don't give me 'about'. I need exact." He whispered back.

"Yes sir. Confirmed. There's 5 of 'em, right below you."

"Ok." Alex pulled out one of his little charges and threw it all the way over to the other corner of the room. Then, he activated it. As the charge went off, he moved as silently as possible to lay flat on the floor above the foyer, at the corner opposite to the explosion, and he heard movement all around the house. All 5 scorpions moved as one, three moving forward, two walking along them backwards, guarding the rear. Alex scoped them out first, as they posed the greatest immediate threat. Silencer in place, he took aim and fire two rounds of the rifle. Holes appeared in the heads of both scorpions as the other three turned around swiftly and were just as swiftly dealt with. "Done. Where else?"

"Behind you, coming up. 5 more. About to turn the corner at the end of the second floor west wing." Alex moved as fast as he could without alerting anyone to his presence. Opening the door to one of the first rooms he sat down behind it, handguns at the ready, waiting for the scorpions to turn the corner.

"Tell me when they're a few metres away from me."

"They're half-way down the corridor." That was close enough.

Alex sprung away from the door, and started running at them, shooting at the closest and farthest man. Those in the middle couldn't do much. Both went down. As Alex started closing in, he shot a few rounds, off their mark, as a distraction, before holstering his weapons and rolling on the floor to the very centre of their formation pulling out his knives and pulling himself up. He sank the first one right under the next man's left shoulder blade, straight into the heart. He went down easily.

The other two however, were already waiting for him. Alex took a defensive stance and waited for them to throw the next punch. It came swiftly from the man to his right, straight to his jaw. Alex threw himself on his back on the floor and kicked them both in the abdomen, winding them and pushing them against the wall. He dropped the knifes, pulled out the guns and shot them both in the head. The two bodies slid harmlessly down the wall.

"How many left?" he whispered to Terrance.

"30. They're all in groups of 5. If you go into the room of the door you left open you'll see one group about to pass under the window and another heading for the kitchen entrance, farther left."

"Copy that." Holstering his guns and picking up his knives, he walked calmly into the room, got the rifle ready and picked out all 10 scorpions. He then moved, Terrance guiding him, over to the dinning hall. That one was tricky seeing as it had no vantage points. However, using his pen, he hung himself upside down from the balcony above the dinning hall's terrace entrance, and dropped down until he could see them all. Five more died in the hall. He pulled himself back up to the balcony and prepared to shoot down the approaching 5, coming from the garden. The remaining 10 were already approaching the east wing, where he had left the Worthingtons.

"Terrance."

"Sir."

"Tell the 2 guards I left at milady's door to get into the room and to give them no signs of anyone being there."

"Yes Sir."

"Good work Terrance. Patch me through to the 10 inside."

"Yes Sir."

Alex started running silently back to the east wing.

"Can you all hear me?" 10 voices confirmed the communication. "Good, I'll need you all to be on stand-by. I will take down the first 5, then I'll tell you to burst out of the room and deal with the remaining 5. Understood?" They had.

As he reached the door, the first five turned the corner. He pulled out his guns and shot down 4 of the approaching 5, leaving out the group leader. The last man he knocked out with a gun's butt to the temple. He needed information. And this man would give it to him, whether he wanted to or not.

"I'm coming in at any moment. Tell his lordship to get himself and Lady Isabella into her closet."

The affirmative response was mixed with the arrival of the last group. Alex mock-saluted and pulled the doors open, at which all his men tightened their hold on their weapons as the scorpions opened fire.

"Don't leave any alive. As soon as they walk in, you shoot them down. I've already knocked one out to get information from." They all nodded and took aim as the footsteps approached. No sooner had the scorpions appeared at the threshold than all 10 guns went off. Each magazine was emptied into the intruders and they all fell dead. Fortunately they fell outwards because something told Alex that Isabella wouldn't have been too happy if there had been blood stains on her carpet.

As soon as they were all dead, he sent 5 to retrieve the unconscious one and take him to the room farthest down the hall. Then, he called for Terrance to signal all the men to set out in search parties of 10 to scout the grounds and make sure that nobody had stayed behind for a blitz attack. Then he told the rest to stand down and assemble at the foyer, ordering Terrance to brief the men on what had happened and to debrief them on anything they might have seen. Finally, he turned to the Worthingtons, who were emerging from the lady's closet.

"My lord, the threat has apparently been contained." He nodded at him.

"Good work Alex. Now let's go and see what our captive has to say." Worthington said, a slight tremor in his voice.

"Of course, my lord. You 5, stay with her ladyship." They left the room and walked to where the last scorpion was being held by Worthington's men.

"He hasn't said a word sir." They said to Alex as they walked in.

"Very well, leave us. My lord, perhaps you could give me a few moments." Worthington nodded and walked out with the five guards back to his daughter's room. As soon as the door was locked, Alex pulled out one of his knives.

"Now, how about you tell me why you interrupted my beauty sleep?"

Alex walked into the room's en-suite bathroom with a bloody knife, bloody knuckles and enough information to appease his mind. He wouldn't need his earlier plan. Hell, he wouldn't even need a plan. They were after Isabella. And while Scorpia didn't know about the snogging in the sea, Worthington wouldn't be too happy. It had been nagging Alex all evening, the possibility of Scorpia going after Isabella because of him and not her father. It was a huge relief to know that wasn't the case. He smirked slightly as he walked down the corridor. Worthington wouldn't be able to tell him to get her out fast enough. But this just made his life that much easier.

"It would seem, my lord, that the man we caught earlier today managed to dispatch a message to their HQs about the presence of a mysterious young woman who, apparently, was important enough to be placed under my protection. Scorpia's not stupid. They did their homework and deduced quite correctly who she is." Worthington paled considerably in the dim lights of the darkened corridor, his eyes darting towards the door of Isabella's room.

"So it was a kidnapping." It wasn't a question.

"A thwarted one." Alex reminded him, effectively putting the aristocrat's mind at ease. Somewhat. '_You'd have to hate your kid not to worry when told Scorpia's after them._' Alex thought.

"Then you must leave for Spain at once." Alex shook his head vehemently.

"If we were to leave tonight, I'll wager we wouldn't make it further than a few km outside the gate. I suggest a change of plans: tomorrow morning, her ladyship, and myself, will leave for Alexandria. There, hire a small aircraft and we'll make our way to Morocco. I'll personally dispatch the pilots afterwards. From there we can take a boat to cross the sea to the Spanish coasts. Personally, I'd like to take a few more twists and turns but the faster we get to your villa the better. Time is of the essence. And while we leave, a chopper can be sent with a decoy, heavily armed and with backup men on jeeps." Worthington nodded jerkily, still visibly shaken.

"I'm giving you leave to do what ever you think needs to be done to get her safe and sound to Spain." Alex bowed.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Thank you, Alex. If everything goes according to plan, you will be vastly compensated." Alex bowed again, taking his leave, allowing Worthington to wallow in his worry.

He felt slightly uncomfortable, playing to this man's weakness, but it had to be done. He had learned long ago that, sometimes, the things you don't like doing could lead to the desired results. The man was on the wrong side of the law and, though Alex knew better than most that the law could be easily tampered with, it was all they had. The law, flawed as it was, based on human need for some semblance of equality, was their only safety net, the only thing stopping humans from falling into chaos. Anarchy, if you will. To this day, Alex hadn't lived one day of his life without some sort of code or law. Even during his time in Scorpia. There was always a code, a rule-book that told people where they stood. And the one Alex lived by (make that _had learned_ to live by) dictated that Worthington was a threat to national and international security.

If there was one thing Alex knew better than anyone, it was that Scorpia didn't like competition of any kind. Worthington was the sort of man never to back down from a challenge. Alex had seen it throughout his months here at Storm. And to allow such a man, in possession of nuclear weapons (and Alex was still debating whether or not even to try to ask of what ever higher power listening just _how_ Worthington had gotten a hold of those), to continue in his endeavour to beat Scorpia at their own game was dangerous. So dangerous, in fact, that it was ridiculous to even debate whether or not this had to be done. It just HAD to be done. Storm had to be stopped. If only to appease Scorpia and let the world have another day of "peace". Deceiving Worthington would save a lot of lives. And so, Alex sent word to Blunt and MI6 about tomorrow's change of plans. K-unit was to wait for them in Alexandria. They would rendezvous at Mark's bar at 0630 hours.

Alex sat on his bed, taking a look around, understanding that this was his last night as a Storm operative. He had wondered for some time now if he should tell Isabella about the assignment. He had quickly understood that the young lady had only seen him as a diversion, a new toy, an escape route. At least at the beginning.

But as they started flirting, getting to know each other for real... Alex couldn't place the feeling. He hoped it wasn't love. He hadn't met love face to face yet, not even with Sabina. He didn't want to meet his first love only to shove it in her face that he had been lying to her from the start. He couldn't have her doubt him for the rest of his life. Sure, she _hated_ Storm and everything it stood for. So maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't try to kill him if he came clean. But he was sure the trust she had in him would go to bloody hell once he told her. Besides, he was going to be kidnapping her on some extend.

However, as much as it bothered him, he couldn't risk a bad reaction in the middle of the mansion. If she didn't take it as well as he hoped, he'd be a dead man and the mission would go to hell. And he hadn't been hard at work for 3 months for everything to blow up in his face. No, he'd tell her tomorrow. Once they arrived at Alexandria and were far from any Storm-paid ears. They would set off before breakfast, go to Mark's bar, eat something and wait for K-unit. Now, he just needed to get some rest. Alex smiled slightly, as the feeling of accomplishment swept over him, as it always did towards the end of a mission. Then, his smile broadened. He would be home for Christmas.

He pulled off his boots, shirt and trousers, boxers clinging to his hips as he dived into his bed. He was almost out when he heard his doorknob turn. He jumped out of his bed, lunged for the door as quietly as possible and turned, his back touching the wall the moment the door opened fully.

He let the intruder walk inside, releasing the tension the moment he saw the chocolate curls, the mocha skin and the feminine curves.

"Alex?" her voice was tentative at best, wondering where on Earth he had wandered off to. And, with a wicked smirk, Alex decided to enjoy the few betrayal-free moments they had left.

As quietly as he was capable off, he tip-toed behind her and caught her in his arms, wrapping one around her body and muffled her scream with his hand. Relishing in the friction between their bodies, Alex brought his lips to her ear.

"You should've learned to knock by now Isabella." His whisper made her stop thrashing almost instantly. He released her and she turned on him with a glare blazing in her eyes.

"Dammit Alex!" she started marching on him, and he let her, bringing his back against the wall again. "Don't ever do that again!" she poked her finger into his firm _bare_ chest. Isabella only noticed his attire (or lack-there-of) when she started feeling his body heat on her face. Seeing as how she was only wearing a flimsy night-gown, her hormones began raging all kinds of hell. And if she didn't get a hold of herself they would be in all kinds of trouble too. Taking a step back she looked down, trying to not get caught in the burning embers of his eyes. "I'll just head back into my room."

She had barely taken one step away when he caught her wrist, pulled her back into his chest and twirled them, pinning _her_ to the wall instead. Her breath caught as she drowned in those hot, chocolate swirls.

"You never told me why you came here in the first place." He whispered the words against her skin. Isabella shivered shamelessly, too lost in the effect his presence had over her to bother caring about appearances. But slowly, his question, sort of, sunk into her addled brain and her eyes rose to his. Alex searched her face at the change in demeanour.

"I don't feel safe all alone in my room anymore." It hit him like a pound of rocks on his head, the irony of how she felt safer here, with him, in a perfectly normal room with a guy who'd been lying to her since day 1, than in a fortified room, built for her specifically by her doting father.

"Isabella, you'll be fine. There is nothing you should fear in this house anymore." It was that damned guilt again that was making him push her away. The words came out kind and tender, but he still put some space between them. Her face fell, whatever hope she had of not having to face tonight alone disappearing.

"Yes, of course. I'm sure you're right." Alex felt as the guilt twisted his heart in his chest. It felt bad that she'd come to him for comfort. But she didn't know the truth yet, so she had no way of knowing about the guilt. Yet, it felt even worse turning her away. He had been the one she'd come to, for anything from a laugh to a hug for the past 3 months. So it hurt her not understanding why he'd turn her away now. Oh, the hell with it!

"Bella." She turned back to him, from her stance by the door. "I can stay in your room if it makes you feel better." The way her face lit up drowned away any guilt he might've felt.

As she crossed the hallway to her room, Alex threw on a pair of pyjama bottoms. Sighing, he joined Isabella in her room. She was already cuddled up in her huge bed. The room itself was far larger than anyone could need and there were too many shadows to sleep calmly after such a night. Alex couldn't blame her for needing company.

The young spy walked over to the desk and dragged the plush chair over to the side of her bed. Isabella stared.

"You're not sleeping on a chair!" Alex held back a groan, knowing she was about to offer half of her bed and being well aware of the risks that entailed. "My bed –"

"Isn't big enough, Isabella." He cut her off harshly. He didn't mean to be so forceful, but Isabella wasn't the only person in the room he was trying to convince.

"Ugh!" Alex turned to see her throw her hands up in frustration. He was being contradictory and he knew it. "What exactly is your problem?! One moment, you're looking at me with those smouldering eyes of yours and the next, you're pushing me away! What the hell –"

"Her voice was steadily rising in volume so Alex jumped on her bed and put his hand over her mouth, much as he had earlier, before she woke up the whole house.

"Keep screaming and I won't be able to stay at all." Her complaints died down fairly quickly at that.

"I'm sorry." She stage-whispered. "I just don't understand you sometimes!" Alex sighed, relaxing his stance and falling onto his side, gazing at her. He was worried. Not about himself, not about the mission. He was worried about her.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just… on edge. Whatever there is between us is changing and now, you're in danger. And we're leaving tomorrow and I just don't know what's gonna happen. I just know that I'm willing to put my life on the line, kill anyone I need to kill, to keep you safe. And I'm worried that I may not be able to without being… objective." Isabella gazed back at him, her eyes shining.

"Alex, I know you." And just like that, the guilt was back, full-force. "And I have complete faith that, as long as you're protecting me, I will be fine." As much as it hurt, Alex knew that arguing with her over this would only raise suspicion, not to mention it was already late at night and they both needed to rest. Nodding, he got into bed with her, pulling her tightly against his side.

He could feel her soft smile against his neck and he sighed, stroking her hair to make her fall asleep. Looking at the clock, he realised they only had about 4 hours to rest, so he kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. Within moments, he noticed she was asleep and allowed himself to drift off as well.

**A/N: **Ok, longer chapter. Better late than never, I suppose. And, also, chapters 11 and 12 will be uploaded momentarily. Chapter 12 will be the final one but, if you like the story well enough, you can always review and poke the next instalment of Alex's adventures out of me. I already have a rough plan of what to do next, but I'd love ideas. Thank you all for your support this whole time! And for your patience. Hope you like it! Btw, yes, I changed my pen-name, if only to fit with my Tumblr and Twitter accounts.


	11. Flight and Fight

CHAPTER 11: "Flight and Fight"

As planned, at 0400 hours, Alex woke up. The men were already getting ready to play decoy.

"Isabella." He murmured in her ear, shaking her gently. Her head was resting on his shoulder, right above the bullet-wound scar, his arms tight around her body. He began disentangling himself from her and got out of bed. When she made no attempt to get up, he started shaking her again. Through Isabella's sleepy haze it registered that he had never looked yummier.

"What time is it?!" she whined, holding onto his arm and rolling to her side, effectively pulling him down. He laughed softly, stroking her hair. He was willing to grab every chance he got to show her how much she meant. With that in mind, he leaned in to drop soft kisses on her forehead, her nose, her cheeks. He avoided her lips given the dangerous effect they had on his brain.

"It's time for you to leave this place." Isabella froze and slowly turned to him.

"It's time?" he nodded with a small smile. An honest smile like the ones he hadn't been able to smile in 3 long months. It was refreshing to him. Isabella thought she had never seen a more adorable smile. She let go of his arm and headed off towards her closet. "What should I wear?"

"Nothing too complicated. A t-shirt, jeans, preferably boots and a jacket. Your father has given me enough money to buy you an even bigger wardrobe once we reach Spain." It stung, leading her on like that. But if everything worked out, she would be heading off to Spain. Only, without him and after sending her father to prison. But that was the way of the world. There was no point in falling back now. "I'll be right back."

He walked out, and headed to his own room, getting dressed. Washing up, he threw on the same clothes he had arrived in: dark jeans, white V-neck , his favourite leather jacket held in one hand as he walked back to Isabella's room.

"Is this ok?" She came out in a white tank and faded jeans. Her favourite pair of beige mid-high-heeled, knee-high boots on, a matching leather jacket hanging from her hand. Alex had to contain the sad smile that threatened to show, as she moved to the bathroom to wash up and leave.

"Perfect."

The past three months with this girl had been fun. He would miss her. He didn't know if he loved her; to be honest, he doubted she'd give him the chance to, after today. But they talked, they flirted, they kept each other company. Most importantly, they gave each other the care and affection they so desperately needed. Yes, he would miss her.

As she came back out, he jumped off the bed and wrapped her in his arms. Her arms snaked around his neck and they leaned in for a kiss before having to put on a show for her father. Alex led her towards the door, and over to the entrance hall where Worthington would be waiting for them.

"Isabella." Worthington pulled his daughter aside, to a nearby room for their goodbyes. Alex looked over his men.

"Terrance?" the man walked up to him.

"Sir. The team is ready. The chopper is all set for take off, the jeeps are ready to roll and the men are prepped. We wait for your order." Alex nodded, walking out to where the men were formed.

"You're a good soldier, Terrance. It's been a pleasure serving with you these past few months." Terrance nodded, clearly pleased with himself. And Alex wasn't lying. Most of the thugs in Worthington's payroll were vicious, ruthless and brainless. Terrance had been chosen as team leader because of his keen mind and commanding presence. He was above blood-baths and cruelty. All in all, a good man in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alex had recognised and praised these qualities when Worthington had named Alex second-in-command. He'd have to put in a good word with Blunt. If anything, Terrance would make a fine agent.

"Gentlemen," Alex raised his voice to address them all. "It's been an honour serving with you here in Storm." A solemn look of pride came over all their faces and Alex wondered at how he had won these men's respect in 3 months. Sometimes he felt that lying was all too easy for him. "In a few moments, I will give the order and a team of you brave bastards will leave to act as decoy so I can take her ladyship to safety." Alex's smirk showed a hint of a smile. "You poor sons of bitches, I wouldn't wish that on anyone." The men laughed, having quickly caught up to Alex's brand of sarcasm: a wicked sense of humour that had made several meals during his first month very amusing. "I wish you all luck and I hope never to see you again!" The smirk firmly in place on everyone's face, Alex walked back inside to wait for Isabella thinking how true that statement was.

"Mr. Rider." Worthington and his daughter were waiting for him by the magnificent staircase. Alex walked up to him and bowed.

"My lord."

"I don't think I need to tell you to be careful." Alex nodded. "Godspeed. And thank you." Alex shook the offered hand.

"I promise you, my lord. I will take care of her with my life." Letting go of the firm handshake, Alex stepped aside to let Worthington and Isabella exit the building. Outside was his shining bike, already loaded with his own things. Worthington stood at the top of the entry steps and nodded to him.

"Alright, men, MOVE OUT!" As everyone around him took their positions, chopper and jeep engines roaring to life, Alex took Isabella's hand and led her to his bike. He waited for the vehicles to leave the gates. He helped Isabella on, handed her a helmet, pulled on his and reared his bike to life. Counting to 50, he slowly brought the bike to the Manor's gates. When he could barely see the jeeps and the chopper's engine was a distant memory, he turned to look at the girl behind him.

"Hold on tight. I'm not taking any chances." Isabella nodded and threw her arms loosely around him. Alex turned to her. "That means I'm gonna drive like a maniac all the way to Alexandria. A trip that would normally take 2 hours and a bit will take 1 hour to 45 minutes." Alex saw Isabella's eyes widen in fear and felt her hold onto his waist for dear life. "That's more like it." and with that, he shot out of the gates. Isabella barely had time to scream.

The ride to Alexandria was uneventful. And it had Alex's "spidey sense" tingling like mad. Something was wrong. He hadn't even heard explosions or gunshots. Not even a bloody helicopter randomly flying over open desert. Nothing. Scorpia knew how he operated just as well as he knew how they operated. This put him on edge. He had a feeling a team of scorpions was about to pop up in Alexandria. Alex had yet to tell Isabella that he was MI6. Could he, when he didn't know if the threat had blown over or was about to blow up in his face?

Alex slowed down as they approached Mark's bar. He pulled to a stop in front of The House of Ra and pulled his helmet off.

"What are we doing here?" Alex turned to her, noticing she, too, had pulled off her helmet. She was so innocent. How could she have kept that innocence after living knee-deep in conspiracies and terrorist attacks? "Alex?" The young spy in question shook his head.

"We need to make a stop. You need to eat and I need to find us transport." Isabella nodded and took the offered hand to get off the bike. As they went in, Alex gave Mark a surreptitious wave. He nodded, having already been informed of what would go down, and shook his head slightly. No sight of K-unit yet then. Good. That would make telling Isabella easier. He showed her to a table and sat down beside her, taking a quick look around.

"Alex, you look worried. Do you think someone's following us?" Alex turned to her. He knew she was perceptive. And there was no point in lying when he was about to come clean.

"Yes." Her eyes widened. "I didn't hear any explosions or signs of attack on the decoys. That just means that Scorpia knows they were decoys. Which is why I need you to trust me now more than ever."

"But I do tru-" Alex held up his hand.

"Not until I tell you everything."

"What do you mean?" he sighed. '_Here we go..._'

"I haven't been completely honest with you. Or your father. Or anyone at that manor, for that matter." Isabella gulped but kept quiet. "There's no easy way of saying this so I'm just going to spit it out. Truth is, I'm still MI6." Isabella felt cold shivers running down her spine.

"What do you mean you're still MI6?" Alex smiled sadly. She seemed sad. Scared. Disappointed. So childlike. No anger, no aggression in her countenance at the betrayal. Just plain old sadness.

"I mean I'm still working for them." She shook her head.

"No. You've been working for my father for 3 months." Alex's heart twisted painfully at the unbelievable innocence. He would die to protect such pureness of heart and mind. It had been a long time since he had lost his own.

"On MI6's orders." She kept shaking her head. Alex held her hands in his. "My orders were to infiltrate Storm, gain your father's trust and find his weakness, so that we could stop him before he hurt other people. You know his business isn't good or legal."

"I... I do, but you lied to me." Alex let his head drop and closed his eyes as the blame was allotted and the guilt washed over him. Gods, this was hard.

"I did, Bella and I'm so sorry. But it was part of my assignment and I know this isn't much reassurance but while I was with you I tried to be as much myself as possible. My life was a lie for a long time. My job is, for the most part, lying to other people. I know it sounds awful, but lying is what I know best and what I do best. That and being a pain in the ass." He got the faintest, breathiest chuckle out of that last comment. It wasn't helping his guilt but at least it told him that, on some level, all he was telling her was registering.

"But why did you lie to me?"

"Because I had to. I had strict orders not to blow my cover and I didn't know how you would react to the news. I wish I'd never had to lie to you but it was imperative that I secured my position in Storm."

"So you've been lying to me, to get to my father?!" she was getting agitated now, which was exactly what Alex needed to avoid.

"No. Everything I told you, everything I did around you, that was all me. Technically, I never even lied to you! You never asked about how or why I came to be here so I never lied to you. I admit I lied my way into your life but everything else I was honest about. Please just calm down and let me take you to safety."

"Where are you taking me?" her voice was soft and frail again. As if distrust was a foreign concept. Alex sighed painfully again.

"Back to MI6 Head Quarters in London. You'll be safe there as my government takes the necessary precautions. We just don't want to spill any more blood than has already been spilt." Apparently, all that registered was that he was taking her away to London.

"You're kidnapping me?! And what necessary precautions?!" her stage whisper would've been carried all over the bar had it not been so noisy. Alex noticed K-unit entering the bar and sighed in relief. He really didn't want to force her into leaving but she had to leave with them, one way or another.

"Bella, I need you to cooperate. It will all be a lot less painful this way."

"What necessary precautions, Alexander?!" Alex winced.

"MI6 discovered your father had acquired nuclear weapons. And that he was planning on going toe to toe with Scorpia. A clash of titans like few others. The risks to international security were too great. So they sent me in." The pain on her face made Alex begin to hate Worthington. He'd disapproved of his methods to persuade his daughter to join his operation but this? This was too much.

"So you'll be taking me away now?"

"Bella, I'll be taking you to London for the time being, yes. But as soon as the problem blows over, I'll personally take you to the villa in Spain and you'll carry on with your life as if nothing had happened."

"As if nothing had happened?! Hell yes something will have happened! You will have lied to me! My father will have lied to me! My entire life will have been a lie!" Fortunately, the line was straight out of a soap-opera so even as men turned towards the commotion created by the young lady, they didn't think deeper into it than a lovers' quarrel.

"What's going on Cub?" Wolf made his intimidating entrance.

"Who are you?" Isabella was becoming hysterical.

"Bella, they're some friends of mine. They'll fly us to London."

"NO." Isabella started shaking her head, backing away from the table. Alex stood up, following her. "No, I'm not going with you. You can't make me!"

"Bella will you please trust me? It's for your own good!"

"Trust you? You lied to me! You're taking me away and you're not telling me until now!"

"Bella, it's for your own protection. Many things will happen here in Alexandria and we still haven't ruled out a team of scorpions that could be following us! Please, come back inside. Just sit down and let's talk this through." They were outside the bar by now and Isabella was still backing away from him in dismay.

"You're damn right we're following, Rider. I doubt you've been this useful to Scorpia since... well, ever." Isabella screamed as she was grabbed and surrounded by 10 or 12 scorpions, all 10 or 12 guns levelled to Alex's heart.

"I thought you said MI6!"

"Oh, he is MI6. But we're also looking for you, your Ladyship. And he's conveniently brought you outside, into our waiting arms." A scorpion grabbed Isabella, bound her wrists and feet and threw her over his shoulder. "Well, Mr. Rider, a pleasure as never before." Suddenly, a great roar was heard over head as the helicopter made itself known and came down next to the team of Scorpia operatives.

As they turned around to get in, Alex made a run for it. Or, more specifically, for Isabella. The team leader, however, twirled around, a strange gun in his hand, and pulled the trigger. Alex felt what seemed like a paintball smash against his right shoulder and was thrown back. The 'paint' splashed all over his chest and neck but there didn't appear to be any further damage aside of the pain.

"Compliments of the Board of Directors." The man said.

Alex pulled out his Walter and tried shooting but he couldn't get a clear shot and his shoulder was throbbing painfully from the impact.

K-unit came out and stared after the disappearing chopper, only seeing the blood-red scorpion on the hull.

"What now?" Fox asked. Alex stood up, and pulled off his shirt, cleaning his neck with the ruined fabric. He was thankful for having taken off his jacket when he went in. The viscous projectile was clinging to his skin and t-shirt in a disturbing way. But he'd deal with that later.

"Now, you better have that Merlin up and running in the next 20 seconds. We're going after them."

"Fox, if you don't fly any faster, I swear to whatever higher power is currently on duty that I'll ask the Serge to make us sparring partners 'til you're senile!" Alex growled over the roar of the Merlin's engines. Fox grimaced noticeable, and forced the chopper to work harder.

"Tell me again why we don't just shoot them down?" Wolf yelled. Alex growled again.

"Because Bella- Worthington's daughter's still in there!" Wolf immediately fell quiet. Alex never referred to targets by name. He quietly filed that piece of information until they were safe. And, regardless, Cub may be a cocky bastard and about to graduate to 007, but he wasn't about to blow up an innocent girl. No matter how ill-timed her last tantrum had been.

"Well, we've got to do something!" Snake put in, rather unhelpfully.

"WHAT?!" Four angry voices roared at him. Snake didn't even flinch. They'd been through worst crisis as a unit. Suddenly, a gun shot rang over the engines. Looking through the Merlin's front window, they saw 2 scorpions half-hanging off their helicopter, one holding a shot-gun, the other holding a machine-gun. Fox made the Merlin veer sharply as the tracing bullets started flying around.

"How about shoot back?" Eagle screamed gleefully, grabbing his own machine gun and moving to shoot. Alex, Wolf and Snaked looked at each other and followed suit.

"I'll hang off this side." Alex stated, pushing Wolf and Snake towards Eagle. They glared. Alex glared right back. "Regardless of what you may think, they will _instinctively_ try to kill me. You'll get your openings!" more glares followed.

"Just do as fucking he says, dammit, and start shooting the bloody hell back!" Fox roared, veering again to avoid too many bullet holes.

As Alex had promised, the scorpions zeroed in on him for the first few seconds, precious seconds that gave the rest of K-unit the chance to pick them both out. At least 8 more possible shooters were left in the enemy chopper and it didn't take them long to rear their ugly, gun-totting selves out of the helicopter sides, almost hanging on the rails.

"Oi! Fox!" Fox clearly couldn't turn to look at Eagle but answered regardless.

"WHAT?!"

"How the hell do you take down a chopper without blowing it up?" Fox made a move to turn and Alex could almost see the look of annoyance on the pilot's face.

"Why the HELL am I supposed to know, exactly?!" Eagle shrugged.

"You're the pilot." Alex, Wolf and Snake saw Fox flex his hands on the controls to avoid launching himself at Eagle and snickered, trying to keep their aim steady.

"You're a pilot as well, you ass! Every man in here could fly this thing! But helicopters aren't meant to be forcibly or violently stopped in mid-air without being expected to forcibly or violently combust!" Alex looked at Eagle, fully expecting to be amused. He wasn't disappointed. He squeezed the trigger a couple more times, shot down another scorpion and turned back to the drama inside.

"Huh?" Alex, Wolf and Snake barked out a laugh, grabbing onto the handles at the Merlin's doors not to fall out. Snake took pity on Eagle, however.

"You can't!"

"Oh." Eagle looked like a child who had just been told Santa Claus didn't exist.

"Eagle's right, though." Alex called to them all, effectively shooting down a nasty-looking terrorist with an ugly scar Alex himself might have given him. "We've got to stop that chopper now! Blow off the anti-torque rotor!" Eagle turned to stare in confusion and Alex almost let his head drop against the Merlin's hull. "Shoot the bloody tail!" A grin spreading, Eagle nodded eagerly, turning and happily squeezing the trigger. In a matter of seconds, smoke was coming from the helicopter's tail rotor, making it twirl out of control.

A female scream was heard clearly from the failing chopper. Alex winced. If they got out of this alive, Isabella was going to kill him.

"Fox! Bring us as close as you can, then fly over to the other side!" Fox nodded. They had practiced this manoeuvre because Snake suggested it as a joke, after hearing Eagle telling Wolf that his insults 'went in through one ear and came out the other' for the umpteenth time. They never thought it would come in this handy. Flying over the Scorpia aircraft, Alex hanged off the open door. "Eagle, as soon as we're out, shoot it down!" and without further ado, Alex jumped.

He was thankful they had practiced this so many times at Beacons. He fell directly onto the hull, right next to the door. And it was a crazy ride. Holding onto the outer handles, adrenaline pumping through his veins, Alex pulled himself in, immediately locating a bound and flapped around, but otherwise unharmed, Isabella. A scorpion jumped at him but Alex lightly side-stepped him and let him fall out. The pilot was thankfully busy with the out-of-control helicopter, as was the team leader, and the remaining 2 were still shooting at K-unit.

Alex walked over to Isabella, released her wrists and ankles, pulled her close and pulled out his pen, struggling to get to the opposite door, holding onto every available surface. The helicopter lurched suddenly, and Alex only just managed to grab onto the side of the desired door. The remaining shooters were thrown around however and they finally noticed the intruder. The helicopter lurched again and the hold on guns was loosened and lost as the need to hold onto the chopper took over. The men tried to jump on Alex and stop him but, out of nowhere, Isabella pulled out a gun.

"Don't move!" but her hold was loose and shaky and they all noticed. The scorpions chuckled and that gave Alex the chance he needed. He pulled her close, took the gun from her hands and put a bullet in each head before either of them had time to stop laughing. Isabella sniffled. "I'm sorry!" Alex kissed her forehead, shaking his head.

"You just saved our asses!" he yelled over the failing engines. She laughed lightly. "Let me return the favour!" Alex sat them on the floor of the chopper, feet hanging out, aiming his retractable pen. He saw Eagle waiting for the clear, holding a grenade launcher he had pulled out of a hat. Alex shot the cable and it stuck firmly to the Merlin's underbelly. "Hold on!" Isabella followed his gaze to where he was looping the cable around both their belts.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no! Hell N- AHHHHHH!" her refusal turned to an ear-piercing scream as Alex scooped her up and jumped. He winced as her mouth ended up right by his ear. He was probably going to loose his right side hearing, but he'd worry about that later. First, he had to get them safely on the Merlin.

"Fire in the hole!" came the yell from above and the Scorpia helicopter was hit with a grenade. Alex huffed and retracted the cable, just managing to trap Isabella between the helicopter hull and himself as the Scorpia chopper exploded and went down in flames. He could feel the extreme heat on his bare skin. Not nice. To top things off, Isabella was still screaming and Alex couldn't help but wonder at her lung capacity. Perhaps she should take up swimming now that she was free and clear to do with her life as she wished.

As the Merlin turned and started heading back to Alexandria, Isabella finally gasped for breath. Alex sighed in relief and began pulling them unto the helicopter. Holding onto the rails, he detached the cable from the hull. Isabella was simply too tired to waste her energy in anything other than holding to Alex for dear life. Using the remaining adrenaline in his bloodstream, he pulled them up onto the railing. Snake, Wolf and Eagle reeled them both back inside.

Alex flopped down unceremoniously to the floor of the Merlin. Rolling on his back, grimacing at the pain on his shoulder, he glanced over at Isabella.

"Do you trust me now?" he panted. The still-freaked-out girl merely nodded. The flight to Alexandria was a silent one.

They stopped at a nearby American base to refuel before the flight back to London. The control tower wasn't too thrilled about receiving them but Alex pulled some strings with his CIA contacts and they were allowed to land. K-unit stayed behind to oversee the refuel while Alex and Isabella were escorted to the command centre to contact Blunt. Alex had sent a message ahead to Jones so the grey Head of Operations was already waiting on the screen of the conference room.

"Isabella, this is Alan Blunt, Head of MI6." Alex said pointing at his boss and his weird face up on the screen. "Alan, the lady Isabella Worthington." Blunt nodded.

"Any complications?"

"A small detour courtesy of Scorpia, but we handled it well."

"Well done, Alex. Tell your unit to sit tight, the jet is being sent to pick you all up as we speak. The Merlin will be retrieved by an SAS team returning from duty, as will your bike. Mark tells us it's secure." Alex nodded, considering himself dismissed. He guided Isabella to the door at the front of the conference room. "Alex, let me speak to lady Worthington."

"Play nice." He said, in a low tone. Blunt's eyebrow rose and Alex walked out the doors, knowing his message had gone through. Walking back onto the landing strip, he moved over to K-unit, who were bickering about who would drive.

"Leave it." They all turned to him. "I just spoke to Blunt. A jet is being sent to pick us up. Should be here in a couple hours." The grins on their faces made Alex smile tiredly. It registered he felt ridiculously tired. Suddenly, he swayed on the spot and dropped like a rock. His head felt hazy, his limbs felt heavy. The last thing Alex remembered was seeing Snake trying to tend to him, Fox kneeling beside him screaming his name, Wolf standing up and screaming for the medics and Eagle jumping around nervously, screaming bloody murder at Scorpia...

Alex woke to the muffled sound of engines in the background, a pair of soft hands holding his, a soft warm something weighing comfortably on his chest and a familiar beeping sound somewhere near. Alex blinked, sighing, certain he would see a familiar white ceiling above. St. Dominic's was under strict orders to keep a room available for him at all times. He was, hence, slightly surprised to see the beige, concave ceiling of the MI6 jet he'd used a few times before.

He turned his head to see the beeping sound came from a portable heart monitor, attached to an IV drip. He followed the IV to his left hand. He looked down at himself to see Isabella sleeping, using his blanket covered chest as pillow. He caught Fox's eye and waved his free right hand. His teammate's reaction could've raised the dead.

"HE'S AWAKE!" Alex felt the plane jolt around in the air as even the pilot jumped at the sudden noise. In a matter of seconds Isabella woke, jumping off him, Wolf walked over, Snake checked his vitals and Eagle jumped around like a kid in Christmas.

"How do you feel Cub?" Alex looked at Snake, wondering what could possibly warrant such worry. Then, he assessed how he felt.

"Like death warmed over." Snake nodded, as if expecting it. "Snake stop being such a mother hen and tell me what the hell is wrong with me!"

A grim look crossed all their faces.

"You were shot with an as-of-yet unidentified neuro-toxin, absorbed through the skin. As adrenaline levels in the bloodstream drop, the toxin attacks the central nervous system, shutting down vital body functions. As it is, you were lucky your adrenaline levels didn't start dropping until we arrived at the airbase. Had it happened before, you could've died. The doctors couldn't find a way to negate the effects, let alone remove the toxin from your body. So they're keeping you on an adrenaline cocktail to avoid you becoming a vegetable and dying before we arrive at London." Snake nodded at the IV connected to Alex's hand. Alex nodded, understanding.

He hadn't really expected that 'paintball' to be just that. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. Because, all things considered, he'd gotten off unscathed. He was used to Scorpia's attempts on his life, and he simply took them as practice: they kept him on his toes and didn't let him forget his training. Maybe that's why his adrenaline levels were so high: he was attacked day in and day out. How very ironic that Scorpia's constant attacks could save him from another Scorpia attack. Alex smiled at the thought, shaking his head in wonder. Snake looked at him strangely but carried on.

"We tried to reach Blunt to tell him to get you a room at St. Dominic's, since you're military after all, but all Fox got was that he was in some kinda meeting." Alex shrugged.

"Doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?!" Isabella exclaimed. "He's your boss! He sent you on a dangerous mission! The least he could do is take care of your health!" Alex used his right hand to hold on to hers.

"St. Dominic's is under strict orders to keep a room ready for me at all times." He said soothingly.

"Oh."

"So they've basically bought you a room in the most expensive, state-of-the-art hospital in Great Britain and, possibly, in the whole of Europe?!" Eagle screeched, as he tended to. Alex glared. He would've thought his unit knew him better than to test his patience while on an adrenaline cocktail.

"Yes. Got a problem? Take it up with my boss." Eagle visibly deflated. Few people ever got to be in Alan Blunt's presence by sheer will. Even Eagle knew this. Alex sighed, settling back down on the pillows. He caught Wolf frowning down at him. He sighed, knowing that look well.

"What?" Alex knew he should've kept his mouth shut. Knew he shouldn't have opened Pandora's Box. But he also knew how much K-unit worried about him. Wolf, in fact had been the first to give the 'we're brothers' speech. So Alex knew Wolf, in particular, would need to vent his worry.

"WHAT?!" Fox, Snake, Eagle and Isabella jumped at the sudden, loud reprimand. Alex gazed evenly back at Wolf's glare. "We just told you the medics had to pump you full of adrenaline to avoid your body shutting down and your reaction was a nod, a 'doesn't matter' and telling Eagle to 'take it up with your boss'?!" Alex sighed again, trying to keep his temper under wraps. He had a bad tendency to lash out quite violently when pissed and he didn't want to scare Isabella any further.

"Wolf, you know what my job description is. It is entirely up to me whether I survive a mission or not. Any given day, a bullet could send me into an early retirement or a fancy coffin. I got hit. No good will come of freaking out and I would think you'd know better than to piss me off when I'm already up to my _ears_ in _adrenaline_." The last part came out as a growl and Wolf sobered up.

"Cub, we know what it's like to die in the line of duty. We've seen it many times with men from other units. But you're in OUR unit. The last time you 'got hit' by Scorpia, you were 14 and the bullet missed your heart by a bloody inch! And we never heard shit about it! Say you get lucky this time, go back on duty and 'get hit' again? All they need, as you said, is one stroke of luck and a well placed bullet to send you into that fancy coffin you mentioned!" Fox all but yelled, adding his grain of sand to the venting process.

"And what if you _don't_ get lucky this time?" Eagle asked in a sad voice from a nearby couch. "What if you turn veggie and we get stuck with watching you fade, with nothing to do but wait until they decide to pull the plug?" Eagle had never been eloquent. He wasn't known for being able to accurately put his ideas and feelings into words. But the sad, low tone of his voice spoke volumes. He had hit the nail dead on.

"Guys, Cub needs his rest. How about you shove the long faces and the reprimand till he's back on his feet?" Snake was always the positive one. The one who had the most trouble accepting defeat. Alex waved his weak protests away with a few words.

"I'd think it better to stay awake and alert, contributing some of my own adrenaline to the mix." He said, patting his IV needle gently. "Guys, I know you worry about me, but what am I to do?! It's not as if I can just will myself not to get hurt again! Do you think I don't worry about you when I visit Beacons and you're all off on duty?! But this is what you, actually, no, this is what WE choose to do with our lives. Now, you can worry and yell and vent those worries at me as much as you may want. But there's nothing you or I can do about it. I'm staying in MI6 and you're staying in the SAS. And that's that."

**A/N: **Again, I am SO bloody sorry for taking this bloody long to update! To all my beloved readers, I kneel before you and beg your forgiveness! I can only hope the chapter is good enough and long enough to put a smile on your faces. Also, I shall be posting the next and final chapter momentarily. Fear not, however, I already have TWO sequels in mind: the first being a school trip to Brecon Beacons, and (in the same AU) a several-years-later one when Alex is in his mid-twenties. I'm more than open to ideas on the school-trip sequel, so go ahead and click that review button!


	12. Epilogue

CHAPTER 12: "Epilogue"

A flickering light told everyone to strap in. The landing was ridiculously smooth, the pilot going to unnecessary lengths to make Alex's life easier, taxiing to a stop right in front of the car sent by MI6.

Wolf got out as soon as the door was cracked open to tell the driver they were heading to St. Dominic's. To add to Wolf's growing concern, and to his dismay, the driver took one good look at the soldier's face, sighed with worry but didn't seem particularly surprised.

"St. Dominic's it is." The guy mumbled.

Wolf began to wonder just how many times this change of course had been made.

The SAS man turned, expecting to, at least, see Alex in a wheelchair or something. So he was utterly stumped when he saw the spy in question calmly helping Isabella down the steps, the lady holding his IV bag, and walking towards the car. Isabella was shaking her head disapprovingly, but letting him be. Not one for modesty, the blanket had been left in the plane, bare chest in plain view from under the open leather jacket. He didn't seem particularly worried that there was a needle in his left hand connected to a plastic bag containing a hormone cocktail so he could stay alive.

Deciding to tell Alex off once he was safely in the car, Wolf strode back onto the plane with every intention of giving his team the mother of all reprimands. He found Eagle holding his stomach, sprawled on the floor. Snake was holding his head, sprawled on the couch. Fox, looking slightly better for wear than the rest, was leaning against the cabin entrance, holding his very much dislocated shoulder. Wolf stared at him, demanding an explanation, as Fox seemed the most conscious of them all.

"Next time, YOU tell Cub he's too weak to move on his own and try carrying him when he's high on adrenaline." Fox then pushed himself off the wall and stumbled out of the plane, hoping beyond hope that Alex would ask his doctor to reset his shoulder while at it, considering their unit medic had taken a beating for his trouble (and stubbornness). Wolf was left to carry his remaining teammates down to the car. He gulped, silently thanking who ever was up there he hadn't tried telling Alex off a moment ago.

The kid was scary sometimes.

"Hey Conor! How's it going?" the receptionist at St. Dominic's looked up as the familiar voice calling his name.

"Alex! What have you gotten into this time mate?" Conor took in Alex's rather ragged appearance and shook his head. Sometimes it was better not to ask. Alex merely shrugged and Conor nodded. "Right, of course. Need to know. Shall I notify Diana and Dr. Hayward for you?"

"Yes, please." Conor nodded again, grabbing the phone.

"Right away. Well, you know where everything is so head up to your room. I'll check you in."

"Thanks mate." Alex strode confidently towards the elevator, Isabella by his side. It was a Tuesday morning and the foyer was calm for now. "Oh and please tell Roger my friends need a check-up as well." Conor registered the battered and ragged-looking soldiers with slight amusement.

"Your handiwork I presume?" Alex merely smirked as the elevator doors closed with a ding.

"Well known around here, aren't you?" Isabella asked concerned by what that meant, amused, and rather glad that his usual character wasn't dismally different from how he normally behaved with her. Alex let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm afraid so..." he said, dramatically, feigning pain and suffering. Isabella laughed as he wrapped his arms around her neck and proceeded to 'sob' his heart out.

This felt familiar. And yet, completely different. Sure, Alex was still Alex, and she was still the same old Isabella, but the feeling of being free and clear from the Mansion's restrictions had changed the dynamics of their relationship, opening up a whole new side of it: honest friendship. Like the kind she had never been allowed to have. She knew they were rather incompatible. After all, Isabella wanted out of that life and, while on the right side of the law, Alex was perfectly comfortable in his skin and content in his role of superspy. But friends... she looked at his as he held her. Yeah, they could be friends. Maybe even friendly friends. He looked at her with a smirk, thinking, as they usually did, along the same lines. Isabella was only too happy to smirk back.

"Well don't you two seem nice and snugly." Eagle's sly grin and comment were met with winces from his unit members who, in unison, took a step away from the air-headed soldier.

"Snake, what's the prognosis for a recovery from a spinning kick to the head? Taking into account, of course, whether or not the person has the necessary spare neurones to effectively recover after sustaining such an injury?" Wolf and Fox snickered. Snake, acting like a stately and pompous doctor, turned to Eagle, nose high in the air.

"You'd likely turn into a proper vegetable, sir." The whole lift burst out laughing. Eagle sniffled.

"This is bullying!" Alex snorted.

"Mate, I don't know if you've noticed, but you're IN the Army! Hell, you're SAS! And when _in_ the military, bullying is kinda the _in_ thing to do!" Fox, Snake, Wolf and Isabella laughed even harder. "I mean, do you remember what Wolf was like during my first time at Beacons? What he's still like with the new recruits? What the Serge is like?!" Even Eagle joined in laughing this time. Isabella, however, looked confused.

"Aren't you new?" Alex turned to her. Had he really never told her his whole story?

"No. I've been at this for almost four years." Isabella blinked.

"You never told me that! Thinking about it, you've never said anything about your 'career' or yourself, beyond the vague guidelines you relented during our first meeting." Alex smiled ruefully.

"Isabella, I was under cover in a criminal organisation. I didn't think telling the head honcho's daughter about my 'career' would be appreciated. Which reminds me, I need to get de-briefed so that HQs can take over the mission." He looked to Wolf. "While I'm getting checked could you call Jones and update her?"

"Why me? Fox is the one with a spec-ops detour on his CV."

"True, but Fox need his shoulder re-set." Alex pointed out as if it was the most commonplace thing. As if he hadn't been the one to dislocate it. Wolf, nodded, knowing better, however. He clearly didn't want to discuss the subject any further in front of Isabella. "Thanks."

"What do you mean 'take over the mission'?" the small, uncertain voice wasn't what Alex was used to from Lady Isabella Worthington. It twisted his heart around. "You'll arrest my father won't you? That's why you took me."

Eagle started nodding emphatically, and stupidly, but Alex turned like lightning, tearing his IV needle from his hand in the process, in what must've been an extremely painful manner. But he didn't even blink as he threw a rabbit punch with that very same hand. Eagle's head bounced off the metallic walls and he slid down to the floor numbly. The lady frowned.

"Do you usually treat your unit like this?"

"It's the adrenaline. And he's more than a little pissed." Snake interceded. Isabella nodded. Alex looked at her, an apology in his eyes and one about to fall from his lips. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter. He's a grown man, he should've known better. I never supported him anyway, you know this." Alex nodded as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Dr. Hayward and Nurse Meacher were there waiting for him.

"What have you done this time, young man?" Alex smiled like a child caught with his hand in the proverbial biscuit pot.

"Pissed off a couple of people." Dr. Hayward shook his head with a father's stern look.

"I don't like getting to know my patients this well because of the amount of time they spend on a hospital bed, Al. Now what have we got?" Snake stepped up here.

"He's been shot with a neuro-toxin reactive to adrenaline. The toxin activates when in contact with the hormone but it only begins attacking the body once the adrenaline levels start to drop."

Dr. Hayward blinked at the SAS man.

"And you are?" Alex chuckled at the good doctor's mistrust.

"It's okay, doc. Snake's my unit medic." The doctor nodded, signalling for Miss Meacher to prep the room and blood tests, as they started walking down to Alex's room. Diana gave Alex an affectionate pat on the back and walked away.

"So this is the infamous K-unit?" Alex smiled genuinely at his unit's confusion.

"Yup. This is K-unit." The good doctor nodded, eyebrows raised in polite curiosity, taking in the various injuries most seemed to be sporting, as well as the unconscious man on his elevator's floor.

"And the reason for some of them to be battered, or even unconscious, would be...?"

"They tried to carry me around, convinced as they were I couldn't move on my own." Roger Hayward had the common sense to wince sympathetically.

"I'll let this one pass. I know full well how... _active_ you can be when high on adrenaline." Alex smiled like a coy child. It seemed almost innocent. They arrived at the room and Dr. Hayward made Alex lie down on the bed, hooking his IV bag up properly and hooking him to some other machines to monitor his vitals.

"What did you do?" Isabella asked, almost resigned to the answer.

"I may have knocked a couple of interns around. In my defence, I was in recovery and they were annoying me. And I have thwarted the occasional kidnapping attempt while enjoying down time." Isabella's brow furrowed as she took a seat by his bed.

"Enjoying down time?" Alex smirked.

"The good doctor, here, usually gives me an extra week or 2 before he allows me back into active service. And since the whole criminal underworld, my bosses and/or myself usually find a way to go against this disposition, he makes me stay here at the hospital, where he can make sure I'll rest." Dr. Hayward nodded ruefully.

"Week or 2 he spends sweet-talking my nurses into letting him down to the gym to train." K-unit barked out a laugh, Eagle having woken shortly before, while Isabella swatted Alex's IV-free arm.

"Don't worry, Doctor. I'll make sure he stays in bed for the next few months!" Alex threw a devastated look at her, and was about to complain about how it was barely the 21st of December when 2 figures showed up at the door.

"I'm afraid, Lady Worthington, that you may find that difficult." For such a skinny, grey man, Alan Blunt could be very intimidating. It was part of the trade and, though Alex was already immune to Blunt's freaky and scary ways, Isabella wasn't. Alex grabbed hold of her trembling hands, hoping to calm her, and glared at Blunt.

"Glad you got my message, Alan." The Head of Operations cocked a grey eyebrow. It was, in Alex's experience, the only change his facial muscles were capable off, and it was used to convey a flurry of things most humans would use their whole face to do. Even when he talked, he didn't give anything away. It had taken Alex quite some time to decipher what each eyebrow rise meant.

But Alex had been extensively trained in reading body language and micro expressions, innate and reflex reactions to emotions such as guilt or shame that were impossible to suppress without external agents. And he had developed the ability to read people's eyes with amazing accuracy. So, after working for a good 3 years with Blunt, he had discovered that even his boss had tattle-tale signs. And the little twitch and miniscule shift of his eyes was the most Alex would get in the line of an apology, after having warned Blunt to be sort of nice. The young spy knew so. So he softened his gaze, turned to Isabella and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Lady Worthington, my name is Mrs. Jones. Could you please accompany us back to Headquarters?" Jones' voice was soft and kind, but it was clear to all that the question was a mere formality. Isabella didn't have much of a choice. As Diana Meacher, Alex's usual nurse, came into the room and started shooing everyone out to conduct the necessary tests, Dr. Hayward escorted K-unit for a medical check-up.

"Right, well. After you, my lady. Good work, Alex." Alex winced and glared at Blunt for the fantastic demonstration of his usual lack of tact. Isabella looked affronted and just a little hurt. Her indignation made Alex smile and he was glad she didn't hate his guts. But he still felt more than a little guilty.

Isabella was escorted out by Blunt himself, as well as a few agents who were there for security purposes. And to check up on Alex and report to everyone else back at MI6. Nobody cared how successful his missions were or how deadly he could be: he was still every agent's baby brother.

"Jones." Mrs. Jones slowed to a stop at the door.

"Yes, Alex?" Alex gave his boss a meaningful look.

"Take care of her. In all my time there and, from what I found, in all of Storm's time, never was she involved in any of the operations. She was kept in a diamond and steel bubble. I probably know more about Storm than she does. She was forced to stay, she never wanted any of it. She was asking to be sent away long before I arrived." Jones' eyebrows rose. And there was something in Alex's voice that betrayed a soft spot for the crime lord's daughter.

"I'll look after her, Alex. And I'll tell Alan what you just told me. She'll be alright. I promise." Alex wasn't convinced.

"Really? And how are you going to catch her father?" Jones winced. "You want her as bait." Another tiny wince was enough confirmation. "Thought so." Alex sneered for a moment. Then, he sighed. "Try not to hurt her. She may be a bit of a spoiled brat, but she's a nice one. And she's... she's a good friend." Mrs. Jones smiled. Alex had probably no idea how proud she was of him.

"I promise to protect her from Alan's tactlessness." Alex smiled.

"And try to get Ebony sent to her Spanish villa. That'll cheer her up. Desert too if you can." Jones blinked.

"Who?" Alex's smile widened.

"Our horses. Ebony is Bella's mare. Desert is my stallion. Both are Arabian, by the way, so they'll require special care." Jones walked over to Alex and ruffled his hair with uncharacteristic open affection.

"I'll see what I can do. You're a good boy, Alex."

******** WEEKS LATER ********

It had already been 2 months since their arrival in London and Isabella, now Isadora Almagro for security reasons, was settling in quiet well. After her father's arrest and the flash trial, she had been allowed to live with Jack, Alex's housekeeper at their Chelsea home. Alex was still in the hospital and Isadora would've loved to spend every day helping him recover and discovering new sides to each other. But Alex had asked MI6 to keep her busy. Tutors were being sent to the house as well as a security detail led by good old Terrance, who had been cleared of all charges thanks to Alex. She had caught up with her rather neglected education, Jack had made sure to take her shopping, and her father's (her) company had been placed in good hands. Everything was being done to give her the leisure and funds to enjoy a normal life. Everything was looking up. And it was all thanks to Alex.

"Isa, come on! Alex said lunch was on him!" although he was out of danger now, Dr. Hayward had insisted on keeping him in for observation. It had been a close call after all. However, the observation period was going on a month now and it was getting on Alex's nerves. He suspected Dr. Hayward simply wanted to keep him from putting himself back into harm's way for as long as possible. And Alex was truly touched by the good Doc's worry. But Isadora had lost count how many times he had said already that he just _had_ to get out of that room. So Jack and Isa had taken to dropping by for lunch and dinner everyday. They ought to have tried every kind of take-out in London by now.

As the car pulled up at St. Dominic's, Isadora looked up at the huge building and wondered at how her life had changed in a matter of weeks.

"Hey Conor!"

"Good day Miss Almagro! Hey Jack!" they waved at the kind receptionist. "You should know, he's got company." Both women grimaced, hoping it wasn't Blunt.

"Thanks for the heads-up!"

As the elevator binged to Alex's floor, they saw Dr. Hayward walking towards them, looking slightly irate.

"Where is he?!" Ok, maybe more than slightly. Isadora frowned. Jack sighed.

"Where's who?"

"Please don't tell me he's missing already?" Isadora turned to Jack, incredulous.

"This is a military hospital! How could he be missing?!"

"He's that good. But don't worry, we'll give him an earful." Jack soothed. Then, she turned on Hayward. "Was it Blunt?" the doctor blinked.

"All of Mr. Blunt's visits are screened by me. To make sure he doesn't try to pile any work on Alex." Isadora's frown became more pronounced.

"But Conor said he had visitors." Dr. Hayward nodded.

"Yes, a young man came to visit. Tom, I think his name was." Then, he slapped his forehead. "And, unless I'm much mistaken so did K-unit!"

They all groaned. The three of them walked back into the lift, knowing they should look no further than the hospital gym.

The large crowd that usually occupied St. Dominic's training and rehabilitation area was huddled around the boxing ring. There were several newbie soldiers hanging around the hospital for security purposes. This was rather usual. Cocky, self-assured things thinking that they were above the rest of the world. Alex's favourite kind of target.

So here was one of them, after having been taunted to the point of exasperation by, what he thought, was nothing more than a spoiled rich kid. Because he _couldn't_ be that young and important enough in the military to be sent to St. Dominic's.

And there was Alex, on the opposite corner of the ring, smirk firmly planted on his face.

"Well come on then, I haven't got all day, you spoiled brat!" Alex barked out a laugh, while K-unit, in civilian clothes, and Tom guffawed derisively.

"Surely you're not scared to throw the first punch against a brat like me then." The young soldier growled in anger and jumped at Alex. Isadora gasped and was about to rush forth, when a hand stopped her.

"Wait." Dr. Hayward murmured, watching Alex like a hawk, as the young spy ducked the first punch. He grabbed the next approaching fist and twisted it behind the poor soldier's back, pushing him face down to the ground. The man's 5 fellow guards jumped in to help. Alex thrust the heel of his palm to his first attacker's solar plexus, knocking the man down. He ducked a kick and swept the legs from this next guy. With an aerial, he avoided a punch and threw his foot up to kick another guy's back. Within 30 seconds, all 6 soldiers were down on the ground and groaning in pain. Hayward sighed. Those men were lucky Alex was still recovering, only playing with them and that they were all in a hospital.

"Alex Rider!" K-unit and Tom had even started cheering as the final man hit the floor, when Dr. Hayward's voice echoed across the gym. Alex's head snapped over to the doctor, to see Jack and Isadora standing beside him, all three looking exasperated and still a bit amused. The junior 007 attempted an innocent wave.

"Hey guys."

"Rider? As in MI6's Alex Rider?" Alex turned to the first man he'd gone against, as he talked to his fellow beaten soldiers. "He's supposed to be staying here, right?"

"How many Alex Rider's can there be?" another mumbled.

"Not sure how many Rider's but I'm pretty damn certain he's the one and only Alex Rider MI6 has..." Fox said with a smirk, jumping along with Wolf, Snake, Eagle and Tom onto the ring.

"But he's supposed to be the best! You're just a _kid_!"

"A kid who just served all your asses on a silver platter even after 2 months in recovery." Wolf added, with a laugh and a menacing smirk.

"That's quite enough, gentlemen." Dr. Hayward called, approaching the ring as the crowd parted and went back to their previous exercises. The good doctor looked over at the battered soldiers. "You are here for security purposes, not to attack my patients. And I hope you've learned not to be so quick to judge other people. As for you, young man," Hayward said sternly, turning towards the teenage spy. Alex had the sense to look sheepish. "While I'm happy to see you've recovered so well, I don't appreciate my patients sneaking around my back or beating up my staff." Alex winced slightly. Wolf, Tom, Snake, Fox and Eagle were shaking with silent laughter. "Back to your room with you."

"Yes sir." Alex nodded quickly and jumped off the ring, rushing back to his room.

"What exactly were you thinking?" The question wasn't accusing or stern and her voice was quivering slightly. Alex looked up from the Chinese they were having. Jack had left to give K-unit a piece of her mind.

"When? Back at the gym?" Isadora shook her head. She looked almost hesitant to even ask. "Isa? When?"

"In the helicopter. Yours, not Scorpia's."

"Oh." Somehow, they had never really talked about her past hysterics, leaving Egypt, and what it had caused. Alex sighed. "Honestly? I just wanted to get you back." Isadora blinked incredulously. "I wanted you safe and sound on that Merlin. And maybe those scorpions dead. Just maybe." She chuckled softly, still hesitant.

"Weren't you mad at me?" Alex frowned in silent query. "For running away? Weren't you mad at me on the plane back?" she looked down at her food, avoiding his eyes. "Aren't you mad at me now?"

"Isa, why on Earth would I be mad at you?" For the first time in a long while, Alex had no idea what the person in front of him was thinking. Isadora snapped her eyes back to his, angry with herself.

"WHY?! Alex, I landed you here! All you've done since we met is protect me and care for me and I almost got you killed!" Alex's eyes had progressively widened with her outburst.

"You honestly think I ever blamed you for this? You honestly think you're the reason why I wore that itchy hospital gown for too many weeks?" she nodded guiltily. Alex sighed with a small smile. "Come here, you silly girl." He put his food back on the tray and pulled her onto his lap on the bed. "I haven't considered any of this to be you fault for even a moment. Not one moment." Isadora looked at him with red, moist eyes.

"But I-"

"Shh. You've done nothing wrong. I lied to you. You had every right to be angry. Never forget that. If we want to start dishing out blame, you start with me." She seemed about to rebuttal but he laid his forefinger on her lips. "As much good as any of it may have brought the world, lying to you will always be wrong in my book."

"So where does that leave us." Alex smiled affectionately.

"If we must check the balance: even."

******** 2 MONTHS after that********

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Isadora gave Alex a most classical 'duh!' look.

"Regardless of everything he's done, he's still my father. I haven't gotten to so much as wave at him since he saw Blunt and those agent's 'holding me at gun-point' in the conference room so-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! When was that?!" Isadora winced. Alex had never been told how they had convinced Maximilian to come quietly.

"The guns weren't loaded, Alex, it was alright-"

"GUNS. As in many?" she nodded, reluctantly. "I'm gonna kill Blunt." She turned his face towards her.

"No, you won't. Blunt said you might react like this. Which is why I didn't want to-"

"Didn't want to tell me? Classic Blunt. Didn't Jones try to do something?"

"Blunt locked her out of the conference room before it all went down." Alex sighed.

"He still shouldn't have done that. I've been aimed at with guns a lot in the past 4 years, Isa. And it's not nice. Whether they're loaded or not." Isadora had asked him to stop calling him Bella after her father's arrest. It reminded her of him too much and she was trying to forget about it all. But it was his birthday today and, since she hadn't been able to visit him during Christmas, because of trials and paperwork, she supposed she could spare him a cake, a few candles and a couple of hours.

"It was admittedly unpleasant, but I was never in any harm and it needed to be done…"

The black BMW moved towards the gates of the maximum security prison. The place looked like a damn fortress. A place reserved for international, high-priority, high-profile and/or high-risk scum. The car rolled towards the very entrance to the prison, the cake and candles following them in a second car, with Terrance and a hired butler. Blunt had been quite pleased with Alex's report on Terrance and had made the man a job offer on the spot. Terrance had accepted just as fast and had been placed in charge of Isadora's security, under Alex's command since then.

"I've arranged for as private a room as possible but we'll still have to walk past a few cell-infested hallways and I've already filled a few of those cells myself so you better put these on." Alex pulled a black box out of his pocket. Isadora opened it to discover what appeared to be wireless ear buds. Like a hearing aid. "They're sound inhibitors. Ear-plugs don't drown out noise entirely so I asked Smithers to make these for you." Isa smiled. It was because of moments like these that one could finally discover the real reason for Alex to do what he did: when you saw him go to unnecessary lengths to keep people happy and comfortable and safe. To keep them protected. She wrapped her arms around him for a moment, before the car stopped at the entrance.

Alex got out, shut the door and went to the other side to open Isabella's door. He buttoned up his suit jacket, opened the door and held out his hand. A black, high-heeled boot came out from under the black slacks.

"Such a gentleman." Isadora smiled. Even after the mission, the trial, after having had to give up her title, Alex hadn't stopped treating her like royalty. He had been there for her and fought for her rights every step of the way, butting heads with Blunt himself as only he could. Isadora knew she'd never have a more valuable ally or a better friend.

Alex kissed her gloved hand.

"Always." Isadora's smile turned coy, standing up and out of the car and straightening her black trench coat. She perched the black fedora over her head, her hair in a low ponytail. "Now, put the shades and the bitchy face on. Here are the ear buds. You won't hear anything after you put them on. Just take my arm and I'll signal when to walk, turn, everything. You only take them off when I tell you to. Look straight ahead, and try not to notice any of them." Isa nodded. "Ok. Put them on." Alex turned to instruct the driver to sit tight and wait. As soon as the buds were in place, the world went mute. You had to give it to Smithers (Isa had met the man when he had come to visit Alex at St. Dominic's). The guy was good.

"Whoa!" Alex turned to see her pulling them out.

"What?"

"That was way too freaky! I'll put them on when strictly necessary." Alex closed his eyes and shook his head with a smile, then nodded.

"Alright." Alex turned to instruct the driver to sit tight and wait. He wrapped his arm loosely around Isadora's shoulders and guided her in. The guards held them up at the checkpoint and Isadora feared she would need and ID. The ID bearing her new identity was still being processed as MI6 wanted to close all loopholes and make her story as credible as possible.

But she needn't have worried as Mr Super Spy merely gave the guards an intimidating bored look and flashed his badge.

"We have an appointment with Maximilian Worthington." That got the guards moving. "There are a few frail packages in our car that are to be brought into the room as well. If you could please take care of it."

"Right away, Agent Rider. This way, please, sir." The guard at the desk jumped up and opened the gates, leading the way jumpily, constantly looking back at Alex to make sure the MI6 agent was ok with what he was doing.

Isadora turned to look at him.

"Scared of you much?" Alex bit his lip to keep in a laugh, shrugging his shoulders.

"What can I say? MI6 likes to keep up my son-of-a-bitch image. And they think I'm a lot older… Put on the ear buds now." Isadora pulled them out of her pocket with a smirk.

"I'm sure you love to help that image…" She saw him shake with laughter and was sure he made a sound, but the ear buds were in place and all sound was cut off.

Alex nodded at the guard standing by the next gate and the 3 of them stepped in. And Alex was glad he had gotten Isa those earplugs.

It's common knowledge that, seeing as inmates don't have all that much to do, the slightest disturbance to their routine stirred a response. And those who knew Alex recognised him immediately. So the stately looking young pair was showered with insults and denigrating hand-gestures all the way down. Everyone, from Alex to Isa to their mothers, fathers, and ancestors was included in those insults. It was considered almost their prerogative as inmates to throw curses at whoever passed by, that wasn't a guard. It was an only occasionally available pass-time. But Alex knew at least half these men wouldn't take such verbal liberties with his family and friends if they weren't protected by steel bars and "human rights". Alex hated "human rights". Hated how they only seemed to apply practically to tried criminals. It was one of the first things he discovered he had in common with Alan Blunt. It had come, of course, as more than a bit of a shock.

Isadora did as Alex had told her and stared straight ahead. Out of the corners of her eyes, she could see inmates screaming and pointing and gesturing towards them. They looked like energised monkeys in their cages. So she treated them as such.

They strode down the corridor, heads held high, arms swaying by their side, a few inches separating them from one another, as if this was nothing more than business. Alex wasn't taking the chance that it could be mistaken for something else. Upon reaching the door to the meeting room areas, they were guided to the one farthest in, where even Alex could barely hear the noise. Before opening the door, he signalled to Isa to take off the plugs. Once they were safely in her pocket, he shooed away the guard, signalling for the packages to be brought in ASAP, and showed her in.

"YOU!" Worthington jumped at the mop of blond hair and the dark eyes. Alex surreptitiously pulled back his suit jacket to show the handle of his Walther. Maximilian froze in his attack.

"Good to see you too, _daddy_." Isadora's voice was laced with cold sarcasm. Worthington seemed extremely moved to see his daughter after almost 4 months.

"Bella!" He rushed towards her, but she took a step back, holding up a hand.

"It's Isadora, now. Isadora Almagro." The look on Maximilian's face was as Alex had expected: a parent's devastation when faced with their child's rejection.

"Almagro." He murmured, trying to pull himself together. "That was your mother's name." He said, trying to smile. Alex took a few steps back, opened the door and peeked out to see if the boxes were on their way. He'd let father and daughter have a little privacy.

Isadora nodded.

"It was. And now it's mine. Alex recommended I change my name for security purposes."

"Him?" Worthington's blood boiled as he thought of the traitorous bastard. "How can you trust _him_?!"

"Because he saved my life!" Isadora fired back. "He threw himself into a falling Scorpia helicopter to pull me out, almost died in the process and afterwards protected me from his boss, Alan Blunt. Because of Alex Rider I've been able to turn my life around. He got MI6 to transfer all your money, all your properties to me. I'll be able to access them when I turn 18 next year. I'll be able go to university and have a normal life! He's even made sure the people running them for me are good and honest. So don't you dare ask me how I can trust him because he saved me! And not just from Scorpia, but from you and your stupid terrorist club!"

Meanwhile, outside, Terrance had arrived, followed closely by a butler, a man already on MI6 pay-roll. The man, by the name of George, was to do his job discreetly and quietly and mind his own business. Isadora would've loved to take one of her maids, who had been rescued and cleared of all charges after the raid on their Alexandria manor. But taking women into a male prison was always a tricky business.

"Any problems?" Terrance shook his head.

"No sir." Alex sighed. He hadn't been able to make Terrance understand he didn't need to be so formal anymore.

Back inside, Isadora was breathing heavily after she stopped yelling. Worthington looked properly crushed. Finally having to face the fact that Isabel- no, Isadora, hated him for what he had tried to accomplish had wrenched his heart out. They both turned towards the door at the sound of a soft knock. Alex appeared at the door, glancing from one to another, glaring at Maximilian for upsetting Isa.

"Tea's here." Isadora nodded.

"Good. Could h please set the table?" Alex signalled for Terrance and George to walk in a do their thing.

"Terrance?!" The former Storm operative bowed his head respectfully.

"Lord Worthington."

"I noticed Terrance had the makings of a good soldier. I spoke to MI6 and recommended him for active service. They hired him and placed him under my orders. He's been in charge of Isadora's security these past 3 months."

"Have you turned every member of my household against me?!" Alex didn't even blink at Worthington's outburst.

"No. 1. Isadora's not just 'a member of your household'. She's your daughter. And she was against this whole business long before I arrived. And 2. Terrance was the only one on your payroll with the integrity and moral fibre to deserve a second chance. All the others are safely behind bars. Now, Isadora wanted to give you a half-decent birthday, so let's stop talking business, shall we?"

The butler had finished setting the table. Alex took a seat beside Isadora, Terrance standing behind them. Worthington seemed extremely surprised at the sight of the nicely set table with fine china, cutlery, tea, cake, the works. He looked at Isadora who was busy lighting a solitary candle a top the cake. He then turned to Alex who sent them man a withering that would make a seasoned Scorpion shake in his combat boots. It clearly said 'we both took a lot of heat for this so shut up and enjoy the last proper meal you're ever likely to have'. Worthington nodded and accepted the tea he was being served. For the tiniest moment, they all felt, as George bustled about, serving the meal, that they were back at the mansion in Alexandria, and this was just another dinner.

"So… What have you been doing?" Worthington gazed at Isadora, having blown out the candle, as the cake was cut and served.

"Well, at first, I settled in with Alex and his house-keeper. Or, rather, just with his house-keeper cause this idiot landed himself in the hospital for a good two months." Worthington cocked an eyebrow, turning to the young spy.

"Technically not my fault." Alex whined to Isadora, who merely shook her head, rolling her eyes. Then, Alex turned to Worthington. "Scorpia attack. Very weird toxin. Very rare too, so it took the doctors a while to figure out how to fix me." Isadora sighed, then looked at her father.

"Which, of course, didn't hold him back from breaking just about every single one of the doctors' instructions… But, from the start, Alex had tutors come and help me finish my studies so I was kept busy. I'll be done with those in a couple more months. And after that, it's off to University." Isa saw her father smile for the first time in a long while.

"Good. I'm glad everything's working in your favour." Isadora smiled back.

"Thanks daddy. Though, technically, it's Alex who's making everything work in my favour. You should've seen the row he got into for this tea party with Mr Blunt…" Worthington looked at Alex, who waved the credit away.

"You know I'm always fighting with Alan. Keeps him on his toes. It's good for his heart. Makes it beat every once in a while." Alex smirked though he knew better than most that Alan Blunt's heart was always beating and always in the right place. Isadora laughed. It was a sound Worthington had rarely heard since he'd started working on building Storm. He hadn't realised how much he'd missed that sound.

The meal progressed and the tension between the MI6 spy, the crime lord and his rebellious daughter eased away, slowly but surely. Two hours later, their time was up. Alex signalled at the butler to start clearing up the table, load everything back onto the cart and head back to the car. As soon as George and Terrance were out of the room, Worthington walked up to Alex and stretched out his hand.

"You've clearly taken good care of my daughter. Despite everything, you have kept your promise to look after her. You have my gratitude." Alex shook his hand, nodding.

"I don't back on my promises. Nor do I make promises I don't intend to, or know I can't keep. When your job consists of lying, your word is the most valuable thing you have." Worthington nodded solemnly.

"You're a man of honour, Alex Rider. I thought so when I met you, but you deserve to hear it." Alex smiled softly, bowing slightly.

"Lord Worthington." And with that, he walked out to allow father and daughter the privacy to say their goodbyes. He turned at the door to see Isadora hugging her father tightly. As he walked out with a smile, he distinctly heard her mumble against her father's shoulder.

"Happy birthday, daddy…"

"Thank you, Alex." Alex turned to Isadora to see her pull off the earplugs as they reached the car again. "I think I've said it already many times in the past few months but I still mean it." Alex smiled softly.

"I know you do. I'm glad fighting over this with Alan was worth it."

"Me too." Isadora was smiling now as well. "I think I might just forgive him some day. He does love me. He's my father. And, despite what he did, I still love him. I needed to realise that."

"I'm glad it all worked out. Well, what will you be doing now?" He wondered, holding the car door open for her. She looked pensive as she slid in. Alex shut the door and got in on his side.

"I was actually thinking I'm tired of the English weather. Maybe it's time to finally head down to Spain…" Alex nodded with a grin, as the car started taking them back to London.

"Now there's a good idea. You'll be able to enjoy the Spanish spring." Isadora smiled.

"Exactly. And, maybe, now that you've recovered, you could join me."

"I would love to. Though Alan might want me to officially finish school. I'm graduating in a couple of months so, they'll probably want me to give the illusion of normal-"

He was cut off by his phone vibrating in his pocket. The screen flashed 'Royal & General'.

"Speak of the devil…" Isa giggled as Alex flipped his phone open, putting on his mock serious face. "Rider." Isadora saw him nod. "It was intriguing that you hadn't given me something to do already." All of a sudden, a huge grin split his face. "The whole year?!" Isadora wondered what kind of mission would make him this happy. For a whole 12 months.

"Have you told K-unit yet? Or the SAS for that matter?" Isadora chuckled. Knowing Alex, anything that involved his 'SAS brothers' for any length of time would keep him entertained. Suddenly, Alex barked out a laugh. "Alan, Jones, you just made my day…!" And with that, he closed his phone.

"Good mission?" Alex smiled his mischievous smile.

"Not exactly." Isa frowned in curiosity.

"Then what?"

"Well, since Scorpia still doesn't know that I'm still alive, and they want to keep it that way," Isadora gasped but Alex didn't seem too worried. "Blunt and Jones have decided it's in our best interest to be sent to an SAS training facility for protection and so that I can build up on my training again."

"Ok, 1. You never lost your training, Alex. And, 2. For the whole year?"

"I was lying on my back for 2 months! And for the last month I haven't even been allowed to spar or shoot or anything! I only just started getting back on my feet! I need to up my game again!" Isadora rolled her eyes. "And now, it'll just be for a few weeks. But I'll be taking the whole of my year, from school… As a school-trip of sorts…" Isa's eyebrows shot up.

"Why would you do that?" Alex shrugged.

"They've been looking at career options. They need to be shown what the military has to offer."

"Huh… so that's a pass on Spain?" Alex shook his head with a smile.

"Nope… Just a rain-check…"

THE END

**A/N:** Aaaaaand, that's that! Like I said, there are two possible sequels: 1. immediately after this, a visit of Alex's year to Brecon Beacons. And 2. one several years later. I've started working on both of them, but I'd love feed-back and ideas for the school-trip to Beacons. I want to know what _you guys_ want to see in the next instalment! So go ahead and leave a comment!

Again, thank you so much for your patience and support. I hope you like the ending!


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